FXUS66 KMFR 032206 AFDMFR Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Medford OR 206 PM PST Tue Feb 3 2026 .DISCUSSION...Ridging will be the main story for the next several days. It already brought highs 5-10 degrees above normal on Monday, and now it is bringing them near 10-15 degrees above in more areas this afternoon! These warmer temperatures will be felt the most east of the Cascades where they'll keep warming into the mid-/upper 50s. Highs in the low to mid 60s will be found in west side valleys and along the coast. Clearer skies overnight will once again lead to fog development along the Coos County coast and near the Umpqua Basin. This fog could also reach the western Rogue Valley near Grants Pass. Lows will be similar to last night. Tomorrow is when the ridge will be the strongest across Southern Oregon and Northern California. That will equate to some of the warmest highs for the week with upper 50s to low 60s east, low 60s for west side valleys, and highs near 70 near the coast. Thursday will be a repeat of Wednesday with a change of a few degrees overall. The next change comes this weekend as the ridge breaks down and allows an upper low to track southeastward towards the PNW. The impacts begin Saturday with rain chances reaching the coast. Most of the activity through the weekend will be found at the coast, although ~0.25"-0.50" is forecast in valleys. Snow levels will also fall with this system to 4,000'-4,500', bringing snow to the Southern Oregon Cascades, and the heaviest forecasts near Crater Lake are near 6 inches. There is more agreement that precipitation chances continue into early next week. -Hermansen && .AVIATION...03/18Z TAFs...VFR conditions will prevail for most of the area through the TAF period. The exception will be in the Umpqua Basin and Illinois/lower Rogue Valleys where LIFR conditions in fog will persist through the morning hours, clearing late morning, then likely returning again overnight. && .MARINE...Updated 200 PM PST Tuesday, February 3, 2026...After relatively calm conditions today, steep west swell arrives late tonight into Wednesday and persists through at least Thursday. A passing front will produce increased south winds, steep seas, and low visibility conditions in rain this weekend. && .MFR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OR...None. CA...None. PACIFIC COASTAL WATERS...None. && $$