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By Gordon McCraw, Meteorologist for the Tillamook County Pioneer
With a warm front moving in, we continue to see some warmer air, for the time being. With the front, we saw increasing rain and winds today, the afternoon high in the 50s. Tonight though, the associated cold front moves in and brings another 1-2” of rain along with some stronger southerly winds 20-25 gusting to near 45. The winds do ease after the front passes around midnight, becoming southwesterly 10-15 gusting to 20. The low drops to near 38, and the snow level that had climbed to around 4500’ yesterday, falls to near 2100’.
With the front through, the colder, more unstable air moves in, so we see showers, some heavier showers with possible hail and there is a chance of thunderstorms tomorrow. The winds still breezy 10-15 gusting to 25, the high temperature only up near 45, the snow level falling to near 1600’ by the afternoon so in the heavier showers, snow is possible at the summit. Tomorrow night, the snow level continues to fall to around 1400’ so there is snow expected below the summit pass levels as the shower and possible thunderstorm activity will continue. The winds tomorrow night southwesterly 10-15 gusting to 25, the low drops to near 35, so a lower rain/snow mix is possible at times in the heavier showers.
The colder, breezy weather continues Friday, still with the showers and possible thunderstorms, the high near 45, the snow level down to near 1100’. More of the same Friday night, and with the temperature falling overnight to around 34, we continue to see accumulating snow above around 800’ with lower snow briefly possible in the heavier showers. Remember too that with the breezy winds, the windchill will make it feel like the upper 20s at night so dress appropriately if you are outside.
Saturday morning the snow level is down around 500-700’, still the showers with possible thunderstorms, that lower snow possible that morning before things start to warm with daytime heating, the afternoon high near 44. The shower activity becomes more scattered by Saturday night, and we lose the thunderstorm threat, the lows still down around 34.
Conditions start to moderate Sunday, still some isolated showers with the snow level climbing to near 1400’ in the afternoon, so the summit is still looking at some more snow, the high near 45, Sunday night the snow level will hopefully push above 1500’, the low near 35.
It looks like things will return to our standard winter type stuff by Monday with some more rain expected but with the snow level around 2000-2500’, highs near 48, lows down near 37, maybe with some breezy winds into Tuesday.
With the snow expected in the Coast Range, the National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory from 10pm tonight through 6am Friday for elevations above 1500’, which is around the summit level. This is for possible snow accumulation of 2-7” with 7-14” possible above 2500’. Know that travel over Hwy 6 or Hwy. 26 could be difficult at times. Also, the heavier rains will push the river levels up, but the chance of river flooding remains low.
If you must travel over the Coast Range or have travel plans in the Cascades, be sure to go to www.tripcheck.com for the latest road conditions.