March Heads Out Like Waterlogged Lion in C.O.

The soggy, showery month of March was drawing to a close Friday with a lot more of the same across the High Desert — steady rain, heavy at times, and blustery conditions that made for challenging skiing, driving — and big puddle-dodging for walkers, too.

Bend Airport recorded only .17 of an inch in the 24 hours ending at 10 a.m. and Redmond only .05 of an inch at the airport.

But a National Weather Service weather station about seven miles northeast of Bend reported .70 of an inch in the same one-day period and Sunriver recorded .82 of an inch, as many gutters and downspouts made evident around the Bend area, as well as lake-sized puddles in some traditional low-lying roadways.

The NWS in Pendleton issued a small stream flood advisory for rapid river rises across Central Oregon and in areas to the north, through 8:30 a.m. Saturday. Forecasters said three-quarters to 1.5 inches of rain had fallen across the area overnight, with small streams and creeks showing rapid rises. Another half to 1.5 inches was possible by Saturday, with highest amounts near the Cascades crest, they said.

Forecasters said snow levels are expected to rise to around 7,000 feet by early Saturday, meaning small streams and creeks will rise quickly and could flood low-lying areas. Drivers were warned to never drive into areas where the road is covered, and even just a foot of flowing water is powerful enough to sweep cars off the road.

Meanwhile, Mt. Bachelor reported quite stormy weather Friday and temperatures hugging the freezing mark after a whole lot of heavy, wet snowfall.

“The mountain was hit with an army of cement trucks overnight,” the resort’s mid-morning report said. “We received about 9 inches of good ole’ Cascade concrete.”

That heavy, wet snow and temps around freezing also made for tricky driving on the passes, with at least one small slide reported that drivers said ODOT crews made quick work of removing.

“Storm activity continues to swamp Central Oregon,” NewsChannel 21 Chief Meteorologist Bob Shaw said in his mid-morning Local Alert Weather Webcast.

Shaw said the passes only required carrying chains or traction tires, but the snowy weather underscored why ODOT has pushed back the traditional April 1 end to studded-tire season by more than a week.

Shaw said the rain would continue, heavy at times, and high winds as well, with highs in the mid-50s and lows in the mid to upper 30s. Some cooldown is expected over the weekend, with milder temperatures into next week.