Mountain snow and periods of rain over the high desert
The wet weather will continue off and on today and linger into Monday.
A Winter Weather Advisory has been issued by the National Weather Service for the Cascades. The Advisory will go into effect at 5 pm and will last until 4 am Sunday morning. Overnight we can expect 4 to 6" of snow above 5000 feet, making travel difficult through the passes. Lower elevated locations will see a mix of rain and snow overnight.
Temperatures will be mild enough this afternoon to support mostly rain from Lava Butte north and a wintry mix at times south of Lava Butte. Intermittent rainfall will best describe the pattern today with some waves of rain a bit more robust than others.
This is much needed and beneficial rainfall as it will be consistent and persistent and should soak into the soil effectively. Friday we had over an inch of rain in the Bend area, which was well absorbed. If the ground were frozen or partially frozen, the rain would much more easily drain away. This event is good for our water table and the moderate drought we have been in most of the fall season.
The cascades will be getting some nice snow this weekend as the snow level will be above 5500 feet. The snow will be wet and heavy, but also persistent. This will allow the snow to pile up nicely. There will not be much sun this weekend, peek a boo sunshine is what I like to say (that is when the sun goes in and out behind the clouds). This snow will be hard to melt when there is a break in the snowfall. Ski resorts are excited about this early snow.
Another good sign for our water table, the more snow now, the better we are next spring. The roads will be dangerously slick in some locations, not all, but some.
There may be some sunshine on Sunday as we have a bit of a break in the wet weather pattern. Still chilly with highs only reaching the upper 40s, but if the sun arrives early enough, it may reach the 50s.
Stay Safe
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