Radar — KRTX
Surface Analysis — Western U.S. (North)
Satellite
Nearest monitored road: Northwest Franklin Avenue (Secondary)
- mostly warm, dry conditions persist through the next few days.
- elevated fire weather conditions for wind/low rh continue.
- small chance (0-10%) of dry thunderstorm development across the southern blues and eastern mountains wednesday and thursday.
Current satellite shows a few cumulus clouds across the cascades with mostly sunny conditions across most of the region. Smoke and haze originating from wildfires in central oregon through parts of the southern blues is clearly visible streaming from the SW to NE, bringing hazy conditions across the colombia basin. An air quality advisory initiated via the department of environmental quality is in effect through much of the colombia basin and blue mountains through noon tomorrow due to ongoing smoke transport.
Synoptically, southwest flow continues and will persist through the next couple of days as a trough just offshore of british colombia paves way through the pacnw through friday evening. Periods of embedded shortwaves within the trough will bring very low chances of dry thunderstorm development (0 to 10 percent chance) across portions of the southern blues and eastern mountains, potentially triggering new ignitions. Deterministics wednesday and thursday advertise a pocket of very slight moist air with 45-65% rh in the low to mid levels passing through the southern blues and eastern mountains, along with 150-300 j/kg of mucape developing during peak heating according to the refs. Precipitable water values stay at below 1.00 inch in the development region (80-90% chance), suggesting any thunderstorm that initiate will be mostly dry in nature with little to no potential for wetting rains to occur.
As the trough approaches the area early saturday morning to afternoon, tight pressure gradients will develop and bring gusty to locally windy conditions across the region. Areas across the kittitas/yakima valley's, columbia basin of oregon, and the cascade gap region have the greatest chance of exceeding wind advisory criteria (>45 MPH gusts) saturday. Chances of exceedance reaches 50-80% across the mentioned areas, with wind highlights possible as we get closer to the event. This will also consequently enable to the potential of elevated to critical fire weather conditions developing saturday. Joint probabilities of 25% or less humidity and sustained winds of 20 MPH or more are advertised at 15-35% chances by 5 PM saturday. Will monitor for the trend going through tomorrow to see if fire weather highlights are warranted.
VFR conditions to prevail through the period. Low confidence (15-25%) in smoke impacts at sites through the period. Winds will increase to 12-18KTS with gusts to around 25KTS at site dls, with periodic gusts up to 20KTS at sites rdm/bdn in the afternoon. Winds will otherwise be light through the period. Lawhorn/82