Whitewater Ski Resort Snow Report

176 FXUS66 KOTX 040548 AFDOTX Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Spokane WA Issued by National Weather Service Seattle WA 1048 PM PDT Mon Aug 3 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... - Extensive amounts of smoke will continue over the region this week, maintaining unhealthy air quality. - Temperatures steadily warm through the through the week ahead, with temperatures warming above normal by the middle of the week. - Dry conditions and breezy winds increase Friday and Saturday across portions of central Washington, bringing elevated fire weather conditions. && .SYNOPSIS... High pressure continues across the region this week, bringing steadily warmer and drier conditions each day. Wildfire smoke will bring degraded air quality for the Inland Northwest. Breezy winds increase late in the week, leading to increased fire weather conditions Friday and Saturday. && .DISCUSSION... Widespread smoke remains across the region this afternoon, with a dry northwest flow pattern emerging behind the departed upper trough. High pressure then continues to build over the area through midweek. This will maintain warmer daytime temperatures and low relative humidity values each day. With winds generally from the north/northwest, expect additional rounds of smoke to impact the region from local and regional fires. Once the smoke arrives, easing winds and stronger high pressure will leave lingering issues. Air Quality Alerts have been issued by air quality agencies across central and eastern Washington, as well as north Idaho. While the current temperature forecast continues to reflect temperatures reaching well into the 90s Wednesday through Friday, the impact of the widespread smoke across the region could hold daytime temperatures a little cooler than would otherwise be expected. Looking ahead to the end of the week and into the weekend, dry air remains in place but the high pressure ridge begins to flatten out. This zonal flow and the dry air mass will bring increased potential for wind gusts around 30 mph through the Cascade gaps and around 20 mph across portions of eastern Washington Friday and Saturday. This will bring the potential for elevated to locally critical fire weather conditions. && .AVIATION... 06Z TAFs: MVFR visibilities continue at most terminals this evening with abundant smoke from local and regional wildfires. Ceilings between 3000-5000 ft associated with a thicker smoke layer can also be expected at times, especially closer to larger fires. MVFR visibilities, with localized IFR visibilities, will continue through Tuesday at most sites. Mostly northerly winds at the terminals tonight, though directions are expected to become more variable as winds ease overnight. Winds will become more westerly to northwesterly across the sites by late Tuesday morning. FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND/OR ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: Moderate confidence in winds. Moderate confidence for smoke impacts bringing MVFR to IFR visibilities for area TAF sites. ----------------------- Confidence descriptors: Low - Less than a 30 percent chance Moderate - 30 to 70 percent chance High - Greater than a 70 percent chance For additional probabilistic information for NWS Spokane airports, please refer to the Aviation Dashboard on our webpage: https:/www.weather.gov/otx/avndashboard && .Preliminary Point Temps/PoPs... Spokane 50 85 53 91 56 95 / 0 0 0 0 0 0 Coeur d`Alene 50 84 54 89 57 94 / 0 0 0 0 0 0 Pullman 44 83 46 89 50 93 / 0 0 0 0 0 0 Lewiston 54 89 57 95 61 101 / 0 0 0 0 0 0 Colville 42 86 46 91 50 95 / 0 0 0 0 0 0 Sandpoint 45 82 48 87 52 92 / 0 0 0 0 0 0 Kellogg 49 80 52 85 55 91 / 0 0 0 0 0 0 Moses Lake 52 89 54 94 57 98 / 0 0 0 0 0 0 Wenatchee 60 90 64 95 66 100 / 0 0 0 0 0 0 Omak 54 90 57 95 61 99 / 0 0 0 0 0 0 && .OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WA...Air Quality Alert until further notice for Adams, Asotin, Chelan, Douglas, Ferry, Garfield, Grant, Lincoln, Okanogan, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens, and Whitman Counties ID...Air Quality Alert until noon PDT Wednesday for Boundary, Bonner, Benewah, Clearwater, Idaho, Kootenai, Latah, Lewis, and Nez Perce, and Shoshone Counties && $$