Damp conditions continue leading up to Halloween on High Desert

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) - Howdy all! Happy Monday to you. After a pleasant weekend, it's been a good deal cooler across the High Desert today, thanks to a new system moving into the region. We're looking at plenty of clouds and several rounds of moisture over the coming days, bringing chances for rain across Central Oregon and fresh snowfall in the Cascades. However, our mountains will likely take the brunt of this system, leaving much less moisture for our drought-stricken communities.

Throughout the week ahead, we're only expecting a few hundredths of an inch of rain for folks in Bend, Redmond, Madras, and the surrounding communities. Meanwhile, lower elevations in the Cascades could pick up more than an inch of precipitation, with snow expected at higher elevations. It's not a ton of rain for us, but hey, at least we have a chance! As we know, with drought conditions continuing across Central Oregon, any moisture is welcome.

The bigger story will be the mountain snow! As of 4 p.m. Monday, fresh snow is already blanketing Mount Bachelor, and additional snowfall is expected through midweek. Total accumulations could range from a couple of inches to more than a foot on the highest peaks, depending on elevation and how much moisture the system ends up bringing. We'll have to wait and see exactly how much falls, but a good round of mountain snow is looking likely- though, probably not enough to kick off ski season just yet.

Temperatures will stay chilly, with highs generally in the 40s throughout the week. Halloween is also trending cold, although conditions look less damp by then. Stay warm, folks. It's shaping up to be a damp and chilly week. We'll keep tracking the latest right here on KTVZ.com!