Strong wintry storm expected in Central Oregon Tonight through Tuesday

Winter Weather Alerts for periods of snow and rain/snow mix have been issued by the National Weather Service.  The event will begin tonight and linger into Tuesday morning.  The bulk of the snow will be over the Cascades but lower elevated locations will be impacted as well.

Prepare for heavy snow at times south of Lava Butte and west near Sisters over the next 36 hours. This is the final wave in a series of storms that have provided Central Oregon with wintry conditions.  The last in a line of storms is expected to arrive tonight and linger into Tuesday morning, but it will also be the most robust.

This event will start out a few hours before midnight as light snow, and linger into the morning commute. Not much more than a couple of inches will fall overnight, but the roads will be slick and the driving will be tricky.

A brief break in the snow after sunrise will be followed by a more robust round of snow and wintry mix. The second phase of the snow/mix will arrive after noon Monday.  The precipitation will be more of a wintry mix in Bend, Redmond, Prineville and Madras, and all snow south of Lava Butte and west of Bend near Sisters.  Snowfall totals will be in the 5 – 8” range south of Bend, and west including Sisters, but only a couple of inches in Bend and Redmond. 

Mountain snow will be the most intense with the area getting well over a foot of snow by Tuesday. If you are planning any travel through the mountain passes, be prepared for hazardous conditions. Low visibility and icy/snow packed roads will be present. Chains will probably be required as well, so if you are not prepared for the dangerous driving conditions, you may want to re-think your plans.

The snow and mix will end on Tuesday as rain, which will make for slushy roads and minor street flooding.  There may be some ice jams near the storm drains due to the melting snow generating the jams.

Please stay safe.

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