797 FXUS66 KPDT 110822 AFDPDTArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pendleton OR 122 AM PDT Sat Oct 11 2025
.DISCUSSION...Scattered showers are moving through the forecast area early this morning as the center of a deep trough moves through the PacNW. Expect breezy and wet conditions to prevail across the CWA as a result, with the mountains potentially seeing a dose of snow, especially above 4500 ft. Next week then turns a little chilly as models generally keep us under a generally cold and progressive synoptic pattern.
No major changes in forecast messaging thus far. This first round of showers is associated with the arrival of the cold front linked to this trough, ahead of which saw an outflow boundary that brought gusty and dusty conditions to the Basin. The rain along this front has been relatively light across the lower elevations, which isn`t surprising given the dry center of this low is essentially tracking right over the Basin. Not expecting much QPF for the Basin as a result, with the bulk of moisture coming in the form of intermittent, broken shower activity across the mountains. Winds will pick up behind the front as well, especially through the Cascade Gaps and the base of the Cascades. The ongoing Wind Advisory for the Simcoe Highlands and Gorge remains in effect, although it will admittedly be borderline, as pressure gradient guidance only reads about 4-5 mb through the Cascades, and 850 mb winds sit right round 35-40 kts according to the NAM. The rest of the forecast area should expect to see gusts in the 25-35 mph range, especially Saturday night into Sunday, ahead of a secondary shortwave moving in from the northwest.
The parent trough circulating this next wave in will bring with it colder air and thus the better chances for mountain snow between the two waves, with snow levels dropping down to around 3500 ft Sunday night for the central WA Cascades, and 4500 ft elsewhere. Given that it`s still mid-October, am a bit skeptical at the efficiency of snowfall accumulations suggested by the NBM, although it is possible (confidence 20-30%) that White and Santiam Pass receive an inch or two of snow from this system. Otherwise, impacts from round two will consist of more widespread shower chances given the more favorable moisture advection profile of this shortwave, although expectation is that the Basin and central Oregon will struggle to see a wetting rain this weekend (25-35%). Probabilities have gone up for the Yakima/Kittitas Valleys, however, given the northerly track of this secondary wave (60-70% chance).
Ensemble guidance generally leans toward keeping this parent trough centered over the Four Corners region once it shifts down and out of the PacNW, leaving us with a cool N/NW flow aloft. This will result in some low-end chances for mountain showers (20%) as well as the possibility of overnight freezes for the Basin and adjacent valleys, especially Tuesday and Wednesday morning. Highs will be a crisp 50s- 60s for most of the forecast area next work week. 74
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.AVIATION...06z TAFs (Previous Discussion)...VFR conditions to prevail through the period. Rain showers currently moving across the OR Columbia Basin will impact sites PDT/ALW late tonight (07-11Z), with low chances (
NWS PDT Office Area Forecast Discussion