An unusually strong upper-level ridge is bringing near-record temperatures, gusty winds, and elevated fire danger to the region through Wednesday before a cold front delivers a significant cooldown.
Temperatures will run 15 to 20 degrees above seasonal normals, with valley highs reaching the mid-70s. The combination of gusty southerly winds reaching 25 to 45 mph and single-digit to low double-digit relative humidity will create heightened fire danger across the open rangelands of southeast Oregon and southwest Idaho, particularly south of the Snake River along the Nevada border.
Cold front brings big temperature drop in my video forecast
These winds will also cause brief periods of blowing dust across Harney and Malheur counties, which could restrict visibility for drivers.
A cold front will begin pushing into southeast Oregon on Wednesday, dropping temperatures by 5 to 10 degrees, while southwest Idaho maintains near-record warmth for one more day. Precipitation will be light and mostly confined to northern mountains, where a 30 to 40 percent chance of showers is forecast. Precipitation totals will generally remain under a tenth of an inch. Snow levels will stay above 8,000 feet through Wednesday afternoon.
The cold front will sweep through the rest of the area Wednesday night. While valleys will remain largely dry, northwest winds will gust up to 45 mph through Thursday, especially along the Interstate 84 corridor from Mountain Home through the Western Magic Valley. This could create additional blowing dust and lower visibilities at times.
Thursday will bring much cooler air, with high temperatures plummeting 10 to 25 degrees from Wednesday's levels. Snow levels will also drop significantly to around 4,000 to 5,000 feet by Thursday morning.
Tonight
Variably cloudy with gusty evening breezes and a low around 34. NW wind 8 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Thursday
Sunny & much cooler, with a high near 55. WNWt wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Thursday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 33. NW wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light and variable in the evening.
Friday
Mostly sunny with cool morning breeze and a milder afternoon and a high near 67. SSE wind 5 to 10 mph.
Friday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 40. Light wind.
Saturday
Mostly sunny & warmer and pleasant, with a high near 74.
Saturday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 44.
Sunday
Partly sunny & comfortable, with a high near 72.
Sunday Night
Mostly cloudy, with a low around 47.
Monday
Partly sunny, with a high near 70.
Monday Night
A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45.
Tuesday
A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 62.
Tuesday Night
A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41.
Wednesday
A 50 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 60.
