Inland Northwest Flying Weather
WA · OR · ID · 2006–2025 · 24 eligible airports
Rain-shadowed east of the Cascade crest, this region is far drier and more VFR-friendly than the coastal side, but winter brings persistent low stratus, freezing fog, and multi-day inversions across the Columbia Basin. Gap winds through the Cascade passes and the Columbia River Gorge produce strong, highly localized wind and low-level turbulence. Summers are hot and dry with isolated thunderstorms, and dense wildfire smoke can degrade visibility regionwide for weeks in late summer. July through September (absent smoke) is the best flying; the November-through-February inversion season is the worst.
- Daylight VFR
- 88.2%
- VFR days/yr
- 291
- Mean wind
- 5.9 kt
- Most VFR month
- July
- Fewest VFR month
- January
- VFR Score
- 65
Regional standouts
VFR conditions by month
Regional average across eligible airports
| Month | VFR % |
|---|---|
| Jan | 61.8% |
| Feb | 77.1% |
| Mar | 90.0% |
| Apr | 94.4% |
| May | 96.3% |
| Jun | 97.4% |
| Jul | 99.3% |
| Aug | 95.8% |
| Sep | 94.4% |
| Oct | 91.7% |
| Nov | 75.4% |
| Dec | 61.8% |
Average wind by month
Regional average sustained wind
| Month | Mean wind (kt) |
|---|---|
| Jan | 5.1 kt |
| Feb | 5.9 kt |
| Mar | 6.3 kt |
| Apr | 6.9 kt |
| May | 6.6 kt |
| Jun | 6.7 kt |
| Jul | 6.2 kt |
| Aug | 5.8 kt |
| Sep | 5.3 kt |
| Oct | 5.1 kt |
| Nov | 5.4 kt |
| Dec | 5.2 kt |
Every airport in Inland Northwest, ranked
Sort by any column. Best VFR Score first.
| KSZTSandpoint Airport | Sandpoint | 76.8 | 6.4 | 250 | 3 kt | 49 |
| KCOECoeur D'Alene Airport - Pappy Boyington Field | Coeur d'Alene | 79.5 | 7.1 | 255 | 6 kt | 49 |
| KDEWDeer Park Airport | Deer Park | 78.4 | 10.2 | 255 | 4 kt | 50 |
| KGEGSpokane International Airport | Spokane | 81.4 | 11.5 | 269 | 6 kt | 50 |
| KSFFFelts Field | Spokane | 80.2 | 7.5 | 262 | 3 kt | 54 |
| KPUWPullman-Moscow Regional Airport | Pullman | 85.1 | 6.9 | 272 | 6 kt | 57 |
| KOMKOmak Airport | Omak | 82.9 | 6.3 | 283 | 5 kt | 60 |
| KALWWalla Walla Regional Airport | Walla Walla | 87.1 | 7.7 | 293 | 6 kt | 63 |
| KEATPangborn Memorial Airport | Wenatchee | 85.3 | 6.8 | 292 | 5 kt | 64 |
| KELNBowers Field | Ellensburg | 86.1 | 7.2 | 292 | 5 kt | 65 |
| KEPHEphrata Municipal Airport | Ephrata | 86.8 | 6.9 | 296 | 6 kt | 65 |
| KMWHGrant County International Airport | Moses Lake | 87.2 | 7.2 | 298 | 5 kt | 67 |
| KPDTEastern Oregon Regional Airport at Pendleton | Pendleton | 88.8 | 6.4 | 301 | 6 kt | 67 |
| KGICIdaho County Airport | Grangeville | 85.9 | 5.7 | 277 | 4 kt | 69 |
| KDLSColumbia Gorge Regional Airport | Dallesport / The Dalles | 87.7 | 4.4 | 297 | 5 kt | 69 |
| KYKMYakima Air Terminal McAllister Field | Yakima | 87.7 | 5.2 | 307 | 4 kt | 70 |
| KHRIHermiston Municipal Airport | Hermiston | 88.7 | 5.1 | 304 | 5 kt | 71 |
| KRLDRichland Airport | Richland | 87.2 | 5.1 | 305 | 4 kt | 72 |
| KPSCTri Cities Airport | Pasco | 88.8 | 4.4 | 308 | 5 kt | 72 |
| KBKEBaker City Municipal Airport | Baker City | 89.3 | 4.4 | 302 | 5 kt | 73 |
| KLGDLa Grande/Union County Airport | La Grande | 92.0 | 1.6 | 300 | 6 kt | 77 |
| KLWSLewiston Nez Perce County Airport | Lewiston | 91.8 | 3.3 | 311 | 4 kt | 78 |
| KBDNBend Municipal Airport | Bend | 92.8 | 3.8 | 318 | 5 kt | 79 |
| KRDMRoberts Field | Redmond | 93.3 | 4.0 | 326 | 5 kt | 83 |
The pattern in Inland Northwest
Across 2006–2025, the 24 eligible airports in Inland Northwest reported VFR conditions during about 88.2% of valid daytime observations, with an estimated 291 VFR flying days per year and a mean surface wind of 5.9 kt. KRDM (Roberts Field) had the most VFR weather at 94.1%. KGEG saw the most instrument conditions, at 11.5% IFR/LIFR. The lowest-ranked eligible field by VFR Score was KSZT (Sandpoint Airport).
Neighboring regions
How Inland Northwest is defined
WA: the 20 counties east of the Cascade crest — Okanogan, Chelan, Douglas, Kittitas, Yakima, Klickitat, Benton, Franklin, Grant, Lincoln, Adams, Spokane, Whitman, Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield, Asotin, Stevens, Ferry, Pend Oreille. OR: these 14 north-central and northeastern counties — Hood River, Wasco, Sherman, Gilliam, Morrow, Umatilla, Union, Wallowa, Baker, Grant, Wheeler, Jefferson, Crook, Deschutes (the 4 southeastern high-desert counties belong to great-basin; west-of-crest counties to pacific-northwest-coast). ID: the 10 panhandle/north-central counties — Boundary, Bonner, Kootenai, Benewah, Shoshone, Latah, Clearwater, Nez Perce, Lewis, Idaho.
Educational use only. Historical weather rankings from ATIS Alerts are educational summaries of past observations — not a forecast, flight-planning tool, or safety rating. They do not replace current METARs, TAFs, NOTAMs, ATIS, or a weather briefing, and favorable history does not make any airport safe. Always check current conditions and use your own judgment before flight.