The National Weather Service is forecasting Willamette Valley snow yet again while Oregon’s Cascade Range passes could see another foot of powder.
After a brief break of dry weather, the system is just the first in a string of potential low-elevation snowfall events expected throughout the beginning of next week.
In this case, snowfall totals for the Willamette Valley appear to favor 1 to 2 inches in the Portland metro area while maybe an inch could fall in Salem and Eugene.
As ever, the higher elevations of the cities will be most likely to see sticking snow, mainly above 300 to 500 feet.
The likelihood and widespread nature of the snow declines as you move south in the Willamette Valley.
On the edges of the Willamette Valley and into the foothills, a winter storm warning has been issued, for 4 to 10 inches and winds gusting as high as 35 mph. It’s not clear exactly where the elevation of heavier snow will set up but it’s likely around 1,000 to 1,500 feet.
Snow will have a bigger impact in the Coast Range and Cascade mountain passes, where heavier snow is forecast from towns such as Detroit to Santiam Pass, Government Camp and Willamette Pass.
More:Shred the dunes: Rare major snowfall allows Oregon Coast snowboarding at Cape Kiwanda
Zach Urness has been an outdoors reporter in Oregon for 15 years and is host of the Explore Oregon Podcast. To support his work, subscribe to the Statesman Journal. Urness is the author of “Best Hikes with Kids: Oregon” and “Hiking Southern Oregon.” He can be reached at zurness@StatesmanJournal.com or 503-399-6801. Find him on Twitter at @ZachsORoutdoors.
