Here comes the next winter storm
-GOOD TUESDAY MORNING, EVERYONE...
Sitting out ahead of a major winter storm system, we are expecting to stay warm today as that storm builds in. Highs will be in the upper 40's to low 50's. Clouds will thicken and rain will start first in areas in our north. From Bend/Redmond south, showers won't begin until afternoon. PM winds out of the SW will pick up to 10-15 mph. Rain is likely overnight, with lows in the mid to upper 30's.
The freezing level will gradually drop from about 7,000' today to 3,500-4,000' by Thursday morning. Through tonight and Wednesday, this will be a big snow event for the Cascades. Mt. Bachelor will receive 1-2 feet of fresh snow during that time, with a little more expected through Friday. While this will be good news for the resorts, holiday travelers are advised to use great caution, as winter driving conditions will exist in the passes from tonight through the end of the week.
Overnight lows for Central Oregon will be down close to freezing and a little below through much of the week. Some areas, especially the higher elevations, will see some snow overnight and into the morning. Daytime highs will reach the mid 40's to low 50's, so much of what we see during the day will be in the form of rain. This will make for some very sloppy driving conditions locally.
This system will pass at the end of the week, leaving us with partly cloudy skies and highs in the low 40's for the weekend.
In the NewsChannel 21 Weather Center, I'm Bob Shaw...
HAVE A SPARKLING DAY IN CENTRAL OREGON!
