852 FXUS66 KOTX 171130 AFDOTX Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Spokane WA 430 AM PDT Fri May 17 2019 .SYNOPSIS... Today will be cool and rainy across Eastern Washington and north Idaho while locally breezy near the Cascades as drier weather develops in the afternoon. The weather will gradually dry out over the weekend, before more rain arrives early next week. && .DISCUSSION... ...Flood Watch continues today... Today and tonight: Satellite imagery shows a closed low over northern California and Nevada with a moist southeast flow over the region. Models continue to show increasing rain today over Eastern Washington and north Idaho with the potential for an additional half inch to inch of rain with local amounts up to 1.25 inches possible. A flood watch remains in effect. Unlike yesterday's convective scenario, today will feature a steady rain with much cooler temperatures. In fact, models show temperatures holding steady through the day across Eastern Washington and north Idaho with valley temps between 49-53F for most areas. Rain will gradually shift east and become confined to mainly the Idaho Panhandle and far Eastern WA overnight. Meanwhile Central Washington begins to dry out as downslope westerly winds develop. However areas of light to moderate rain will continue this morning over Okanogan County, NE Douglas county, and northern Grant County. Thus will extend the flood watch through 1 PM this afternoon for this area. Winds will become breezy along the East Slopes, Wenatchee area, and Waterville Plateau this afternoon with gusts of 20-30 MPH. JW Saturday through Monday: As the upper low moves into Wyoming on Saturday, there is still enough wrap-around moisture to keep the threat of rain going in the Panhandle and extreme northeast Washington. But the remainder of the area will be dry with warmer temperatures than Friday's chilly readings. On Sunday, a similar low will move into northern California. But unlike it's predecessor, this low is forecast to make steady progress inland, well to our south. As such, the vast majority of the rain will remain over Oregon and southeast Washington. By Monday, the low is in southern Idaho, still too far south to bring our area much in the way of rain. Skies will still be somewhat cloudy so temperatures will remain in the 60s. RJ Monday night through Thursday: The track of the low has shifted from previous model runs. It will move further south and pass through Oregon and Northern California. This has decreased the amount of moisture and areas expected to be impacted by rain showers for this period. The most likely impacted areas are expected to be along the Cascade crest and Central Idaho Panhandle. The low confidence kept thunderstorms out the forecast but this could change as a clearer picture develops. Winds will be breezy with gust into the upper teens. The highs will be in the 60s to low 70s. Lows will be in 40s. /JDC && .AVIATION... 12Z TAFS: An usual day for mid May expected at the eastern TAF sites (KGEG/KSFF/KCOE/KPUW/KLWS) as abundant moisture continues to move up into the region with a saturated boundary layer. This will bring widespread IFR/MVFR conditions with rain although improvement at KLWS to VFR is possible in the afternoon as downslope winds develop off the Blue Mountains. A different story at KEAT/KMWH where downslope westerly boundary layer winds is expected to bring continued VFR conditions through tonight. Winds will also be breezy in these areas this afternoon. JW && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Spokane 52 42 62 44 66 43 / 100 80 10 0 20 10 Coeur d'Alene 51 43 62 43 66 42 / 100 90 20 0 20 10 Pullman 52 41 61 42 64 41 / 100 60 10 0 40 40 Lewiston 56 45 69 49 69 48 / 100 50 10 0 50 60 Colville 51 48 66 36 73 35 / 90 80 40 10 10 10 Sandpoint 50 43 59 43 64 42 / 100 90 50 10 10 10 Kellogg 49 41 59 44 63 43 / 100 90 40 0 20 10 Moses Lake 61 42 69 47 69 46 / 80 10 0 10 30 30 Wenatchee 61 46 67 51 67 51 / 60 0 0 30 40 40 Omak 61 44 66 46 69 46 / 80 20 10 10 30 20 && .OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... ID...Flood Watch through Saturday morning for Central Panhandle Mountains-Coeur d'Alene Area-Idaho Palouse-Lewis and Southern Nez Perce Counties-Lewiston Area. WA...Flood Watch until 1 PM PDT this afternoon for East Slopes Northern Cascades-Okanogan Highlands-Okanogan Valley- Waterville Plateau. Flood Watch through Saturday morning for Lower Garfield and Asotin Counties-Northeast Blue Mountains-Spokane Area-Upper Columbia Basin-Washington Palouse. && $$