Will it snow in Portland? Storm Tracker 2 Meteorologist Rhonda Shelby looks at the possibility

The National Weather Service in Portland has issued a Winter Storm Warning for the Oregon and Southwest Washington Cascades.

They have also issued a Winter Storm Watch for the north Oregon Coast Range and the Willapa Hills in Washington.

“This system’s arrival soon will change the entire weather pattern we’ve been experiencing recently—from historically dry and cold to what we normally see in February,” said Storm Tracker 2 Meteorologist Rhonda Shelby.

The snow level will begin at around 4,000 feet tomorrow before dropping to around 3,000 feet by Friday night.

“Heavy snow possible above 3,000 feet. Total snow accumulations between 6 and 12 inches, and up to 15 inches above 5,000 feet,” NWS Portland said in their warning message.

In the Coast Range and Willapa Hills, forecasters are calling for 2 to 4 inches through Saturday afternoon.

People traveling to the coast should expect to encounter winter driving conditions. The snow level will start around 3,000 feet before lowering towards 500 feet by late Saturday morning.

With the snow level falling that low, people are wondering about the possibility of seeing snow in the Willamette Valley and around the Portland area.

“This is not looking like an arctic outbreak or deep freeze. It’s looking more like a minor snow threat for most areas below 1000 feet early next week,” Shelby said.

Weather models continue to offer different solutions every run and Shelby adds that any slight change in cold air or an addition or subtraction of available precipitation could change the forecast.

“I expect the snow level to fluctuate from 500 to 1000 feet at times early next week. This is referring to the "sticking" level of snow. However, anyone at sea level could expect dustings of snow in heavier showers that occur early in the morning or late at night when air temperatures are coldest,” Shelby stated.

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Author: KATU News
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News post in at: January 31, 2025, 3:00 am.

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