454 FXUS66 KOTX 062302 AFDOTX Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Spokane WA 302 PM PST Sat Feb 6 2021 .SYNOPSIS... Periods of mountain snow will fall into Sunday creating winter driving conditions for the Cascade passes and for Lookout and Lolo Passes in Idaho. Otherwise, more populated areas are likely to see slighter chances for light snow and a wintry mix of precipitation. Areas of gusty winds from today should gradually taper off into Sunday morning. Colder temperatures are expected next week as cooler Canadian air pushes into the Inland Northwest. && .DISCUSSION... Tonight through Sunday: Mountain snow and a lower-elevation wintry mix has developed today across the Cascades, NE Washington, and the Idaho Panhandle. Winter weather advisories/warnings remain on track with significant snowfall accumulations underway across the mountain passes and adjacent areas. Gusty winds have also been in play, particularly along and southwest of I-90 and areas just downwind from the Cascades. While remaining breezy well into the night, these winds are forecast to gradually taper off towards Sunday morning. A reduction of precip and winds on Sunday will lead us into a colder and drier airmass as we transition into upcoming work week. /KD Sunday night through Friday: Snowfall will taper out through Monday with a few additional inches expected for the Cascades and the central and southern ID Panhandle. A deep trough centered over southern Canada and the Midwestern US will allow for a very cold Arctic boundary to begin to push into the Inland NW. Models currently have the boundary stalling diagonally from Vancouver Island, across NE Washington and along the Idaho/Montana border early Sunday morning and afternoon through Monday night. As the boundary starts to push into the area as a backdoor cold front early Tuesday, relatively higher pressure behind the front and lower pressure over the Pacific will allow for a north/northeasterly low level flow to set up and bring cold, dry air down from British Columbia. Models have been consistent with the idea that temperatures will begin to trend colder beginning Tuesday and lasting through at least the end of the work week. The northeasterly pressure gradient will tighten midweek as the offshore surface low pressure moves closer to the Pacific coast. This will bring breezy to gusty north-northeasterly winds through the Okanogan Valley into the Columbia Basin Wednesday through Friday. Models have been delaying the peak of the cold temperatures a few days, with the temperatures now forecasted to bottom out on Thursday before potentially starting a slight upward trend on Friday. While we will be spared from the brutally cold temperatures forecasted for the upper Midwest, low temperatures will drop into the teens and single digits and highs will generally be in the low 20s and low 30s. Thursday will be the exception though, with the current high temperature forecast in the teens for a majority of area outside of the Columbia Basin and the L-C valley, where highs are forecasted to be in the 20s. There is still a decent amount of uncertainty in this temperature forecast, but the main message will remain the same: COLD! With Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday currently forecasted to be the coldest and breeziest days, temperatures will most likely feel much colder than the actual value. It is important to be prepared for these conditions by layering up if you plan to be outside. VMT && .AVIATION... 18Z TAFS: A system moving in from the northwest will bring a threat of snow and rain, increasing winds and areas of MVFR/IFR conditions. The highest threat of snow and lower CIGs/VIS will be closer to SFF/COE/PUW through this afternoon, with some improvement possible late, before conditions degrade again going into Sunday morning. Some showers are possible around GEG/LWS as well, with VFR conditions and some risk of MVFR conditions this afternoon with any showers and again overnight/early Sunday. EAT/MWH will be largely dry and VFR. Winds will increase through the day, peaking between 21-02Z before abating. Stronger speeds with gusts near 30-45kts are possible near the east slope of the Cascades into western basin, including near EAT/MWH. Elsewhere gusts of 20-35kts will be possible. Before winds increase, some LLWS is possible near EAT. Overall winds decreasing after 02-07Z. /Cote' && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Spokane 28 36 22 31 18 30 / 30 20 10 10 10 0 Coeur d'Alene 27 33 19 30 17 29 / 50 30 20 10 10 10 Pullman 32 36 26 32 22 32 / 50 50 40 20 10 10 Lewiston 37 45 31 40 27 39 / 40 40 30 20 10 10 Colville 24 37 15 30 13 29 / 20 10 10 0 10 10 Sandpoint 24 29 16 28 15 25 / 50 20 20 10 20 20 Kellogg 26 31 18 28 15 27 / 90 50 40 20 20 20 Moses Lake 31 46 27 41 24 38 / 0 10 0 0 0 0 Wenatchee 32 43 27 36 24 34 / 20 10 10 0 0 0 Omak 26 38 22 31 19 29 / 40 20 10 10 10 0 && .OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... ID...Winter Weather Advisory until 4 PM PST this afternoon for Coeur d'Alene Area-Northern Panhandle. Winter Storm Warning until 10 AM PST Sunday for Central Panhandle Mountains. WA...Winter Weather Advisory until 10 AM PST Sunday for East Slopes Northern Cascades. High Wind Warning until 5 PM PST this afternoon for Waterville Plateau-Wenatchee Area. Wind Advisory until 7 PM PST this evening for Lower Garfield and Asotin Counties-Moses Lake Area-Upper Columbia Basin- Washington Palouse. && $$