FXUS66 KPQR 060945

AFDPQR



Area Forecast Discussion

National Weather Service Portland OR

245 AM PDT Wed May 6 2026



.SYNOPSIS...Ridging aloft will maintain largely warm and dry 

conditions through the next week. The only exception will be a 

weak system arriving Friday into Saturday, which will bring 

briefly cooler temperatures but only minimal chances for even 

light rainfall.



&&



.DISCUSSION...Now through Tuesday...A narrow upper-level ridge

just off the West Coast will broaden through the workweek,

driving generally persistent weather conditions across the

region. Diurnally-varying marine cloud cover will reach inland

overnight into the morning each day, yielding mist or drizzle in

areas near the coast, before retreating back to the coast or

offshore through the day. There remains uncertainty in the 

timing of daytime clearing which could greatly modulate high 

temperatures; the longer clouds persist through the morning, the 

cooler afternoon highs will be. Even in the reasonable coolest 

scenario, temperatures should reach near seasonal norms, and

will more likely be at least a few degrees above normal each 

day. Diurnal west winds could also become breezy along the 

central Columbia River Gorge, with gusts to 25-30 mph in the 

afternoon and evening through the end of the workweek.



Friday into Friday night, an upper-level shortwave trough will 

track over the top of the ridge. This feature has trended weaker

in recent guidance, with impacts generally limited to enhanced 

cloud cover and temperatures a few degrees cooler. Rain chances

are now minimal across the region, generally 5-15% along the 

coast and in coastal terrain from Tillamook northward, and in 

the Cascades north of US-26, peaking Friday afternoon and

evening. To the south and at lower elevations inland, chances 

for even a hundredth of an inch of rain are now 5% or less.



Resurgent upper-level ridging will see the warm and dry weather

then continue this weekend into next week, including seasonably

warm temperatures in the 60s along the coast and in higher 

terrain and 70s to around 80 degrees within inland valleys 

beneath clearing skies on Mother's Day. -36



&&



.AVIATION...Satellite imagery at 04z Wed shows marine stratus  

socked in along the coast and filling back in inland. There's a

60-80% chance that MVFR cigs along the coast will lower to IFR 

after 07-10z Wed. Stratus is expected to continue filling in 

over inland areas over the next few hours with MVFR conditions 

developing between 06-09z Wed. Expect stratus to linger into 

much of Wednesday for inland areas, not improving to VFR until 

after 18-21z. Along the coast, IFR conditions will become MVFR 

by 16-18z Wed, but there's a low chance (around 20%) of 

conditions improving to VFR through the 06z TAF period. Winds 

are expected to remain light and variable around 5 kt or less 

through Wednesday morning, becoming westerly to northwesterly up

to 8-10 kts with a sea breeze after 21z Wed.



KPDX AND APPROACHES...VFR conditions are expected to fall to

MVFR  due to marine stratus sometime between 06-09z Wed. 

Conditions not expected to improve to VFR again until 19-21z 

Wed. Winds will be light and variable through Wednesday morning,

becoming northwest up to 8-10 kts after 21z Wed. -03



&&



.MARINE...Strengthening high pressure offshore will see

northwest winds intensify and turn more northerly through 

today, while a broader onshore flow regime will favor continued 

marine overcast which thickens and lowers overnight before 

lifting and backing offshore each day through this week. These 

stronger winds by this afternoon along with a building northwest

swell will push seas up to 7-9 ft by tonight, but a dominant 

swell period of 11-13 seconds should keep seas from becoming 

steep enough to present a hazard to small craft. Isolated gusts 

may exceed 20 kt this afternoon into this evening beyond 30 NM.



As northerly flow weakens through Thursday and turns southerly

on Friday as a weak system moves onshore, seas will ease back to

4-7 ft. Southerly gusts may briefly approach 20 kt on Friday

afternoon before weakening again overnight. Chances for rain

showers on Friday have fallen to 5-15%.



High pressure will restrengthen offshore this weekend into early

next week, supporting a reintensification of northerly winds. 

Chances for widespread gusts of 20-30 kt increases daily from 

Saturday through Tuesday, while seas continue at 4-8 ft. -36



&&



.PQR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...



OR...None.

WA...None.

PZ...None.



&&



$$



www.weather.gov/portland



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