Freezing Rain Forecast for Monday Morning

Freezing rain advisory in effect from 4 am to noon PST Monday for the Portland and Vancouver metro area.

The National Weather Service in Portland has issued a freezing rain advisory, which is in effect from 4 am to noon PST Monday. Portland Public Schools has canceled classes. Find more school closures.

The freezing rain advisory in effect for Sunday is canceled.

* timing...mainly between 4 am and 10 am...the morning commute. The main threat is the east side of the metro area...including exposed bridges like the Glen Jackson bridge.

* ice accumulations...up to one tenth of an inch.

* impacts...freezing rain may further coat road surfaces and continue the hazardous road conditions that have been experienced over the past few days.

* safety...this cannot be overstated...please do not go under trees. Tree limbs and even whole trees can fall with little notice and potentially kill you when coated with ice.

Precautionary/preparedness actions...

A freezing rain advisory means that periods of freezing rain or

Freezing drizzle will cause travel difficulties. Be prepared for

Slippery roads. Slow down and use caution while driving.

The National Weather Service warns Oregon and Washington residents to expect extremely cold weather this week with snow and ice predicted for Thursday Feb. 6 through Monday Feb. 10. 

Click here for school closure information

Thursday        

Snow in the afternoon possible Light dusting to 1 inch.  Lows in the teens to the 20s and highs in the 20s.

Friday

Snow showers all day probable accumulation up to 5 inches. Lows in the teens to the 20’s and highs in the 20’s

Saturday

Snow changing to sleet then freezing rain throughout the day.  Freezing rain accumulation ¼ to ½ in.  Lows in the teens to the 20s and highs in the 20s.

Sunday

Freezing rain changing to rain throughout the day.  Lows in the 20s and 30s and highs in the 30s or 40s.

TRAVEL ADVISORY

Saturday: Sleet turning to freezing rain accumulating on top of the snow will make road travel hazardous throughout the area for most of the day. 

Sunday: Freezing rain turning to rain as temperatures increase will make road travel hazardous throughout the region for most of the day.

Monday: Temperatures in 40s expected so commute should be normal. 

A blast of arctic air has moved into northwest Oregon and southwest Washington. This arctic front is dry but accompanied by strong east winds blowing through mountain passes and the Columbia Gorge creating low wind chills. 

The coldest nights are expected to occur on Thursday and Friday. Temperatures will remain below freezing during the day in most areas except along the immediate coast Wednesday through Saturday. This arctic outbreak is expected to be as cold as the December 2013 event. The one notable exception is the south Willamette Valley where sub-zero temperatures are not anticipated.

As the cold air remains in place our models indicate an increasingly wet pattern will develop over the weekend while cold east winds continue near the surface.  It is likely that we will see a significant snow and ice storm over the weekend.  Currently it appears this has the potential to be the biggest winter event for the western valleys since December 2008, but there is a chance that this could develop into a milder storm.

PRIMARY AREAS IMPACTED BY COLD AIR: 

All of Southwest Washington and Northwest Oregon

IMPACTS: 

Dangerously cold conditions for people working or living outdoors.

Wind chills around zero in the Columbia Gorge and eastern Portland Metro Area.

Wind chills 10 to 20 degrees during the daytime in the inland valleys.

Wind chills of zero to 20 below zero in the mountains and passes.

Very strong winds in and near the west end of the Columbia River Gorge with gusts as high as 75 mph in the Gorge.

High winds also expected in the Cascade Passes.

TIMING:

        Cold air moves in Tuesday night with the lowest temperatures Wednesday Thursday and Friday. 

        Strongest winds will be Tuesday night through Wednesday night.

FORECAST CONFIDENCE: 

High confidence in cold weather but lower confidence in exact temperatures.

High confidence in high winds for the gorge, moderate confidence in high winds at the Cascade passes.

UNCERTAINTIES:

       How cold air will be that makes it out into the western Valleys.

         Exact timing of beginning of strong east winds.

PRIMARY AREAS IMPACTED BY SNOW OR FREEZING RAIN: 

Most of Northwest Oregon and Southwest Washington.

Most significant impacts likely in the northern Willamette Valley, Clark County in southwest Washington, the Central Willamette Valley, Columbia Gorge and Upper Hood River Valley.

IMPACTS: 

A transition from snow to sleet to freezing rain to rain is likely most areas.

Significant ice accumulations are possible after the snow ends, especially in the east part of the Portland metro area, the Gorge, and the Upper Hood River Valley.

Preliminary snowfall expectations are for 2 to 6 inches in the western valleys, and 6 to 12 inches near Hood River.

Preliminary ice accumulation expectations are for up to ¼ inch inland valleys, except ¼ to ½ inch in the Portland/Vancouver metro area…and ½ to ¾ inch in the Columbia gorge and upper hood river valley. 

TIMING:

        Precipitation is expected to move in during the day Saturday, with snow likely at the beginning of the event most areas.

         The transition from snow to sleet and freezing rain to rain is expected to occur between Saturday night to Sunday, beginning in the southwest part of the area and spreading north.  The last areas to transition from frozen and freezing precipitation to rain will be the Gorge and Hood River Valley, most likely Sunday night and Monday.

FORECAST CONFIDENCE: 

Moderate to high confidence in snow and ice this weekend.

Low to moderate confidence in timing the transition between precipitation types.

Low confidence in amount of snow and ice accumulations.

 UNCERTAINTIES:

         How quickly the precipitation will spread in, and how long the cold air will be able to linger.

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