696 
FXUS66 KPQR 172138
AFDPQR

NORTHWEST OREGON AND SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON FORECAST DISCUSSION 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORTLAND OR
300 PM PDT THU APR 17 2003

.SYNOPSIS...AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL MOVE THROUGH THE AREA
TONIGHT FOR CONTINUED SHOWERS. A BRIEF DRYING PERIOD IS EXPECTED
FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY BEFORE THE NEXT ORGANIZED FRONTAL SYSTEM. 
THE FRONT WILL APPROACH THE COAST SATURDAY AND MOVE THROUGH THE
FORECAST AREA SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY. AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH OF LOW
PRESSURE WILL MOVE INLAND EARLY NEXT WEEK WITH ANOTHER SYSTEM
APPROACHING THE COAST BY MID WEEK.

.DISCUSSION...
.SHORT TERM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR SHOWS SHOWERS
MOVING THROUGH THE FORECAST AREA THIS AFTERNOON WITH A FEW STRONGER
CELLS EMBEDDED IN THE FLOW. LOCAL SPOTTERS HAVE REPORTED LIGHTNING
AND SMALL HAIL WITH THESE CELLS. SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS THE LEADING
EDGE OF THE PRECIPITATION ASSOCIATED WITH THE NEXT SYSTEM APPROACHING
THE COAST THIS AFTERNOON. MODELS MOVE THIS SYSTEM ACROSS THE AREA
TONIGHT FOR ANOTHER ROUND OF LIGHT TO MODERATE PRECIPITATION. A BRIEF
DRYING PERIOD IS EXPECTED FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY FOR MOST OF THE
AREA AS THE SHORT WAVE RIDGE MOVES ACROSS THE AREA. ON SATURDAY THE
COLD FRONT WILL STALL NEAR THE COAST AND BECOME NORTH-SOUTH ORIENTED
AND THEN SLOWLY MOVE ACROSS THE AREA SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY.

.LONG TERM...THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE WILL DIG SOUTH
AND MOVE INLAND MON KEEPING THE FORECAST AREA UNSTABLE WITH SCATTERED
SHOWERS MON AND EARLY TUE. TUE MAY BE A LITTLE DRIER...BUT WILL WAIT
TILL MODELS ARE IN A LITTLE BETTER AGREEMENT ON THE TIMING. ANOTHER
SYSTEM APPROACHES THE COAST WEDNESDAY FOR A CHANCE OF RAIN WEDNESDAY
AND THURSDAY.. LIKENS

AST 842466  PDX 741146  SLE 641146  EUG 641146

.PQR...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR ROUGH COLUMBIA RIVER BAR
$$