High Desert Spring: Crisp Nights and Sunny Bites

If you’re finishing up a hike at Smith Rock or just settling onto a patio in Bend, keep that fleece handy. We are moving into a classic Central Oregon spring evening—the kind where the sky is breathtakingly clear, but the temperature likes to play "limbo."

Tonight: The Big Chill

As the sun dips behind the Cascades, expect those breezy north winds (peaking around 15 mph) to settle down. While the stars will be out in full force, the thermometer is heading for a dive.

• Bend/Redmond/Prineville: Lows will hover in the upper 20s to lower 30s. It’s a "bring the sensitive plants inside" kind of night.
• La Pine/Sisters/Sunriver: It’s going to be even crisper on the East Slopes, with lows potentially hitting the mid-20s. If you’re camping, make sure that sleeping bag is rated for the cold!

Sunday: A Tale of Two Halves

Sunday morning looks like the optimal window for outdoor plans. Whether you’re hitting the trails in Sisters or grabbing coffee in Madras, the early hours will be bright and calm, holding onto that clear sky from overnight before the afternoon clouds move in.

• The Morning: Expect a crisp, sunny start. It’s the perfect window for a morning run or a bike ride before the afternoon transition begins.
• The Afternoon: Clouds will start to roll in, turning the sky partly cloudy to mostly cloudy. Temperatures will climb to a comfortable upper 50s to lower 60s across the plateau, though the higher elevations (looking at you, La Pine) will stay a bit cooler in the 50s.
• The Breeze: Keep an eye on those afternoon gusts. We’re expecting north winds to kick up to about 20–25 mph, just enough to remind you that spring in the High Desert always has a bit of an attitude.

Pro-Tip: With those afternoon gusts hitting 20–25 mph, it’s a good day to secure the patio furniture or check your trailer hitches if you're heading out to the lakes. That north wind can sneak up on you once the morning calm fades!

Sunday Night & Beyond

Sunday evening brings a slight increase in cloud cover and a tiny (20%) chance of stray rain or high-mountain snow showers near the crests. However, for most of us in the valley, it’ll just be a gray evening followed by a clearing sky.

The Monday "Reset": If you can sneak away for a long weekend, Monday is looking like the star of the show. We’re forecasting wall-to-wall sunshine and highs back in the lower 60s.

Gardener’s Warning: It’s been an incredibly dry spring, and while it’s tempting to start soaking those flower beds, remember we’re still looking at overnight lows in the 20s. If you’ve already started your spring planting, make sure your frost blankets are handy for tonight and Sunday night. It’s dry out there, but that frost still has a bite!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend, Central Oregon. Stay warm tonight and soak up that Sunday morning sun!

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