Freezing rain threat over areas of Central Oregon

Just as Central Oregon thaws and digs out from days of heavy snow, bitter, record cold and freezing rain, another threat of freezing rain is due Wednesday evening and early Thursday for northern areas of the High Desert, forecasters said.

The National Weather Service in Pendleton issued a freezing rain advisory over a wide swath of Central Oregon, starting at 7 p.m. Wednesday and continuing to 4 a.m. Thursday.

NewsChannel 21’s Samantha O’Connor says there’s an 80 percent chance of freezing rain in areas from Sisters and Warm Springs to Madras, Redmond and Prineville.

“All of Central Oregon will likely see isolated showers overnight, but only the lower elevations will experience freezing rain,” O’Connor said.

Around one-tenth of an inch of ice is expected, the NWS forecasters warned, saying the freezing rain would develop during the evening and continue overnight, ending Thursday morning.

“The freezing rain will create slippery roads and walkways making travel difficult,” the advisory said, adding that “the freezing rain will have the greatest impact around Madras and northward.”

“A freezing rain advisory means that periods of freezing rain or freezing drizzle will cause travel difficulties,” the NWS said. “Be prepared for slippery roads. Slow down and use caution while driving.”

Tune into NewsChannel 21 at Five and Six for the latest Local Alert Weather forecast from O’Connor.