159 FXUS66 KOTX 290049 AFDOTX AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPOKANE WA 549 PM PDT Thu Mar 28 2013 .SYNOPSIS... A low pressure system off the west coast will bring increased moisture and cloudiness to the region. The increased moisture can bring showers mainly to the higher terrain along the Washington...Idaho border through Friday. Drier air will move into the region Saturday and stay through the middle of next week with temperatures warming well above the seasonal normals. Some of the warmest weather so far this spring is expected by this weekend and continuing into early next week. && .DISCUSSION... Update: quick update for tonight and tomorrow, increasing the shower coverage for this evening and expanding the threat in from the south a bit more for tomorrow. The region remains near the RRQ of a feeble jet streak and some instability, keeping some widely scattered to isolated alive. I'm also watching the next disturbance coming up from the south which should renew or keep the threat of showers alive over southern Washington into the Camas Prairie, expanding northward through the day Friday. /J. Cote' && .AVIATION... 00Z TAFs: The Inland Northwest will remain under the influence of a weak upper low and disturbances rounding it. Instability within the low will bring sct-bkn clouds around TAF sites, with the threat of a few showers and perhaps a stray thunderstorms before the threat wanes after dark. A disturbance coming up from Oregon overnight into Friday morning will renew the threat of showers toward the lower Columbia Basin into the Blues and Palouse, largely after 08-10Z, including near LWS and KPUW. The renewed instability and still passing disturbance Friday afternoon will renew the threat of showers over the KGEG to KCOE area, with a minimal threat of thunderstorms toward the central Panhandle through the Blues. The risk is too small to include TAFs. A few showers are possible closer to the Cascades too, including near KEAT. Generally look for VFR conditions, but brief MVFR cigs/vis are possible in any heavier showers throughout the period. Wind will remain generally less than 10 kts, but higher gusts are possible around showers. /J. Cote' && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Spokane 40 59 38 61 37 62 / 20 30 10 0 0 0 Coeur d'Alene 37 57 36 60 35 62 / 20 30 10 0 0 0 Pullman 41 58 39 61 39 63 / 20 50 10 0 0 0 Lewiston 45 64 44 67 43 68 / 20 30 10 0 0 0 Colville 36 63 35 66 34 68 / 20 20 10 0 0 0 Sandpoint 34 55 34 58 33 58 / 20 30 10 0 0 0 Kellogg 37 55 37 58 35 61 / 20 50 20 0 0 0 Moses Lake 42 64 40 68 41 68 / 10 10 0 0 0 0 Wenatchee 41 63 41 67 41 70 / 10 20 0 0 0 0 Omak 36 64 36 66 35 69 / 10 10 10 0 0 0 && .OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... ID...None. WA...None. && $$