7 DAY WEATHER EXPLAINER

MORE OF THE SAME ALL WEEK

Strengthening High Pressure will keep conditions cold & dry with calm winds for the coming week. The coldest morning temperatures should continue to drop to the 20s with afternoon high temperatures in the 40s. The inversion (a layer of warm air trapping cold air near the ground) means that the air will continue to stagnate and pollutants will build each day until a brisk wind arrives to scour it out of the valleys.  This doesn’t look likely until Friday.

A weak system Tuesday will not stir the wind enough to resolve the issue.  By Friday, the high pressure finally weakens enough to allow a front to approach from the north.  This front will stay parked over Northern Washington & Idaho sending enough moisture to prohibit fog formation and send in clouds.  At this point, it looks like it will be Monday before the atmosphere moistens enough for a chance of rain.

LC VALLY WEATHER FORECAST- Persistent Sunny & Cold

2nd Verse, same as the first....

TONIGHT: Partly cloudy with fog forming after midnight.  Temperatures will drop to the lower 20s by sunrise.

MONDAY: Patchy Morning Fog, then mostly sunny, warmest afternoon temperatures in the lower 40s.

TUESDAY: Partly sunny after patchy morning fog, morning low upper 20s, afternoon high temp upper 40s.

WEDNESDAY: Partly sunny after patchy morning fog, morning lows – upper 20s, afternoon highs- near 50 degrees.

THANKSGIVING: Partly sunny after patchy morning fog, morning lows- near 30, highs – upper 40s.

FRIDAY: Partly sunny low near 30, high temperature-mid 40s.

SATURDAY: Mostly cloudy, morning low- lower 30s, high mid 40s.

SUNDAY: Mostly cloudy, low temperature-lower 30s, high lower 40s.

Just past Kooskia, heading up HWY 12 toward Missoula

a sign you'd never see in Indiana!!  (that's my Honda - about to make the climb)

Lochsa River, Idaho

I had to stop and snap this pick of the beautiful Lochsa River in July

...where the Sandstroms camped and fished in the 70s

Crooked River July 2013

Crooked River

Showing the next Von Bargen generation where grandpa fished....

Idaho Wildlife - 4 point buck

I found this 4 point Mule Deer along the South Fork of the Clearwater River near Elk City in July

Action shot of same deer

TODAY'S BIG WEATHER STORY IS....THE BURN BAN

BURN BAN
Doesn't a cozy, warm fire sound really nice on a cold day like this?  If you were looking forward to firing up the wood stove or throwing another log on the fire....you should know about the burn ban. Make sure your fireplace or wood stove is up to environmental standards.

see NWS map below or click the link for a closer look
  http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/FXC/make_img.php?wfo=otx&iname=Active_Screen1L&size=1&force=no

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPOKANE HAS ISSUED A BURN BAN
The highlighted counties  are under a burn ban. This ban restricts the use of outside burning and the use of unapproved indoor fireplaces and stoves

TODAY'S BIG WEATHER STORY IS....STAGNANT AIR

POOR AIR QUALITY continues to plague the Inland Northwest. We need a good breeze to scour the pollutants out of our valleys.  This isn't expected to happen until Tuesday at the earliest.

What Causes Air Stagnation?
High pressure (dry weather) with light to calm winds for days on end, allow pollution to build up in the lower elevations.  Valleys are most susceptible.

What is the Hazard?
STAGNANT AIR means poor air quality (unhealthy air) - this is not the best time to go for a jog and breathe it in.  Each day the stale conditions persist, the pollution builds.  Car exhaust, filling your gas tank, mowing your lawn can all contribute to the pollution build up.  Those with breathing issues should stay indoors as much as possible.

today's air quality index is "moderate" check your area of the Inland NW and the Lewiston, Idaho live cam
http://www.airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=airnow.local_city&cityid=26

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPOKANE WA

SUN NOV 24 2013

...AIR STAGNATION ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM PST
MONDAY...

* AIR QUALITY: POLLUTION BUILD UP WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH MONDAY.

* TIMING: THROUGH 4 PM PST MONDAY. LATE NIGHT AND EARLY MORNING
  PERIODS ARE THE MOST LIKELY PERIODS FOR UNHEALTHY AIR QUALITY.

* IMPACTS: INCREASED POLLUTANTS COULD AGGRAVATE SENSITIVITY TO
  SMOKE AND OTHER PARTICULATES IN THE AIR.

* WEB PAGE: FOR A DETAILED VIEW OF THE HAZARD AREA VISIT
  HTTP://WWW.WRH.NOAA.GOV/WRH/WHV/?WFO=OTX

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

AN AIR STAGNATION ADVISORY INDICATES THAT DUE TO LIMITED MOVEMENT
OF AN AIR MASS ACROSS THE ADVISORY AREA...POLLUTION HAS THE
POTENTIAL TO INCREASE TO DANGEROUS LEVELS. PERSONS WITH
RESPIRATORY ILLNESS SHOULD FOLLOW THEIR PHYSICIANS ADVICE FOR
DEALING WITH HIGH LEVELS OF AIR POLLUTION.