251 FXUS66 KPDT 061108 AFDPDTArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pendleton OR 408 AM PDT Mon Oct 6 2025
DISCUSSION...An upper-level ridge of high pressure extends from the northeastern Pacific Ocean into the Pacific Northwest. Beneath the ridge, clear skies coupled with predominantly light winds and a dry air mass (PWATs of 0.25-0.60") will facilitate efficient radiational cooling. Isolated near-freezing to freezing temperatures are expected (80% confidence) this morning for low-lying, cold- prone locations within the Yakima and Kittitas valleys, Columbia Basin, and along the Blue Mountain foothills; no Freeze Warnings have been issued due to limited spatial extent. However, have added a mention of frost in the forecast this morning as well as Tuesday morning. Elsewhere, more widespread sub-freezing temperatures are expected (80-100% confidence) this morning for central Oregon, the John Day Basin, and the Grande Ronde and Wallowa valleys. Freeze Warnings remain in effect until 10 AM for the aforementioned zones.
By Tuesday, the ridge will flatten as a couple vort lobes drop south from the Gulf of Alaska and BC and carve out an offshore closed low. Analysis of ensemble clusters suggests a very high chance (>90%) that the low will deepen and spin offshore of the Pacific Northwest Wednesday through Thursday. Any precipitation associated with the low will likely (75% chance) remain pinned to the Cascades and their immediate east slopes.
Ensemble clusters indicate the longwave pattern will almost certainly (>90% chance) become more progressive Friday through the weekend. While some differences in exact timing are apparent among ensemble clusters, all ensemble systems track the closed low inland over the Pacific Northwest Friday through Saturday, with a second shortwave trough digging southeast out of BC Saturday through Sunday. The combination of these two systems will facilitate medium-high chances (55-85%) of precipitation for the Cascades and Blues with a low-medium chance (20-50%) of rain for the lower elevations late Friday through Sunday. Snow levels will drop sufficiently low (4-5 kft) over the weekend to allow a medium-high chance (50-80%) of measurable snow in the mountains.
Breezy westerly winds are also forecast Saturday into Sunday. NBM probabilities suggest a low-medium (30-60%) chance of winds reaching advisory thresholds, and the ECMWF EFI for wind and wind gusts ranges from 0.5-0.8 across wind-prone areas of the Columbia Gorge/Basin and adjoining foothill and valley areas. Plunkett/86
AVIATION...12Z TAFs...VFR conditions will prevail through the forecast period. CIGs will be primarily SKC with variable light winds at all TAF sites. Bennese/90
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.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... PDT 69 40 74 43 / 0 0 0 0 ALW 69 45 74 48 / 0 0 0 0 PSC 70 37 72 40 / 0 0 0 0 YKM 70 41 72 41 / 0 0 0 0 HRI 70 38 73 41 / 0 0 0 0 ELN 69 37 70 38 / 0 0 0 0 RDM 68 31 75 34 / 0 0 0 0 LGD 66 35 72 42 / 0 0 0 0 GCD 68 36 73 38 / 0 0 0 0 DLS 73 44 76 46 / 0 0 0 0
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.PDT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OR...Freeze Warning until 10 AM PDT this morning for ORZ049-050-505- 511.
WA...None. &&
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SHORT TERM...86 LONG TERM....86 AVIATION...90
NWS PDT Office Area Forecast Discussion