000 FXUS66 KOTX 140512 AFDOTX AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPOKANE WA 912 PM PST Fri Dec 13 2013 .SYNOPSIS... A series of weak weather systems will clip the Inland Northwest through Tuesday bringing a chance for light snow showers at times for areas mainly near the Canadian border and Idaho Panhandle. On Wednesday into Thursday a stronger system will bring better chances for rain and snow. Temperatures are expected climb slightly above normal through Wednesday before falling back to below normal for the end of next week. && .DISCUSSION... Evening update: stratus has been expanding across the region from the east/southeast over the past few hours and patchy to locally dense fog has been noted across the region. The locally dense fog has been found in the typical locations around the West Plains and has been noted on web cameras heading toward Spangle. As such forecast was updated to add this into the forecast now, as opposed to the prior forecast of it developing largely overnight. This could produce some slick spots on roads...especially in those outlying areas...with lows expected to be below freezing. Deepening isentropic ascent through the night with the incoming warm front will have the deepest moisture and best snow chances tonight remaining toward the ID mountains, expanding through the northeast WA mountains and surrounding areas by Saturday morning. Mainly flurries or sprinkles/freezing drizzle will be a threat across the higher Palouse/Spokane/CdA area west into the northern Upper Columbia Basin. The threat of more than just flurries will develop away from the Palouse going into the day Saturday too, but the threat of more than light accumulations (if any) is low. /J. Cote && .AVIATION... 06Z TAFS: Warm front lifts in Friday night and a weak cold front sags into the region by late Saturday. Look for primarily IFR conditions around the KGEG-KSFF-KCOE area, with LCL LIFR conditions around KGEG. Brief improvements are possible with any light snow showers/flurries that may occur with the incoming warm front during the night. Yet general improvement is not expected until perhaps later Saturday after 21Z...and greater confidence lays around KSFF/KCOE. The southeast flow should keep LWS/PUW VFR or lcl MVFR, with drier conditions. Lower confidences lay toward MWH/EAT, but VFR conditions are expected much of the night, but as the southeast flow develops toward morning we could see some stratus and/or fog and it may persist much of day if it does develop. /J. Cote && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Spokane 27 36 28 36 28 36 / 10 20 10 10 0 0 Coeur dAlene 28 38 30 38 30 36 / 20 30 20 10 10 10 Pullman 30 39 29 41 30 40 / 10 10 10 0 0 0 Lewiston 30 41 31 42 32 39 / 10 10 10 0 0 0 Colville 24 36 29 36 29 34 / 20 60 20 10 10 10 Sandpoint 27 36 28 37 29 37 / 50 60 40 20 20 10 Kellogg 30 36 30 38 31 37 / 60 50 40 30 20 20 Moses Lake 19 34 23 38 26 38 / 10 10 10 0 0 0 Wenatchee 23 32 26 37 28 36 / 10 0 10 0 0 0 Omak 19 31 25 33 25 33 / 10 10 10 0 0 0 && .OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... ID...None. WA...None. && $$