PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Enjoy the weather breather Tuesday because it won’t last long.
Another atmospheric river is setting up in the Pacific Ocean and will drench the southern Willamette Valley late Wednesday afternoon. Rain moves into the central valley in the early evening, KOIN 6 Meterologist Sally Showman said.
Rain continues all day Thursday and into Friday morning. The Willamette Valley could see as much as 2.5 inches of rain total, with another 4 to 6 inches in the Coast Range and Cascades.
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A Winter Weather Watch takes effect Wednesday night through Thursday night.
Snow develops in the central/eastern Gorge Wednesday night. It will be heavy at times before transitioning to sleet or freezing rain Thursday.
Travel may become extremely treacherous through the gorge and over Mount Hood.
The cold air moves out and rain takes over Thursday night and Friday.
The saturated soil heightens the threat for landslides.
Near Diamond Lake
Crews from both ODOT and Pacific Power are working to remove more than 100 trees that fell onto powerlines and Oregon 138 East, blocking the highway. Trees are still falling, and ODOT officials said there is no estimate on when the highway will be open.
People who chose to say at the Diamond Lake Resort despite the oncoming storm were escorted by ODOT crews toward Roseburg.
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Elsewhere around the state, the Associated Press reports:
Crater Lake rim closed to vehicles after heavy snowfall
Oregon’s Crater Lake rim is closed to vehicle traffic after winter storms dropped heavy snow and knocked down trees on near the park.
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The Herald and News reports that a news release from park spokeswoman Heidi Barker says the visitor center is still open and the rim can still be accessed by skis or snow shoes.
Three days of storms dropped 43 inches of snow around the park, bringing the snowpack to 72 inches.
Barker says it is one of the largest snow storms the park has seen, although the amount of snow is not abnormal.
She says 69 storms since 1932 have resulted in bigger three-day snowfall accumulations than the current storm. A record 75 inches accumulated in three days in February 1971.
Snowfall brings hope to drought-stricken eastern Oregon
A snowstorm that swept across drought-stricken northeastern Oregon is expected to help replenish the region’s aquifers and reservoirs.
The Baker City Herald reports that the weekend storm left nearly two feet of snow in the higher peaks of the Elkhorns and Wallowas. Several inches of heavy, wet snow also fell at lower elevation and should help alleviate the drought.
Jerry Franke of the Burnt River Irrigation District says the weather is encouraging, but it’s still early in the season.
Last year, wintry weather arrived early but the rest of the season was drier and warmer than average.
But as of Monday morning, the water content in the snow was higher than it was at the same time last year.
Filed under: Clackamas County, Clark County, Environment, Marion County, Multnomah County, Oregon, Washington, Washington County, Weather 