Wintry pattern returns to the region, snow and wintry mix through the weekend
A Winter Weather Advisory has replaced the Winter Storm Watch for portions of the viewing area. The Advisory goes into effect tonight at 10 pm and will last until 4 pm Saturday. By the time Saturday afternoon rolls around, about 5 - 10" of snow will have fallen on the Cascades, with 2 - 4" possible along 97 south of Bend and west from Bend into Sisters. Travel will be impacted by icy and snowy roads. A Winter Storm Warning will go into effect at the same time frame for the crest of the Cascades where much more snow and wind are anticipated.
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The mild and dry pattern this week is coming to a close as a wintry and snowy period is about to begin. The skies have been filling with clouds all day ahead of what will be a snowy and dangerous few days. The snow is expected to begin late tonight or early Friday and impact the region.
Friday morning looks to be on the snowy side as the first in a series of several waves of snow and rain arrive. The air temperatures over the past few days have been well above normal so the advent of the snow tonight will take a little while before accumulating. The potential for slick roads and reduced visibility tomorrow morning for our morning commute is high, so budget in a little extra time getting to your destination.
This may be what we are looking at for the Friday evening time frame, may be a bit aggressive, but still a rough commute Friday evening.
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The snow will switch over to a mix of rain and snow in the afternoon Friday, and we may have some patchy fog to contend with as well as the snow and rain. The colder night air will allow the precipitation to return to all snow into Saturday morning. Accumulations will be from 6 – 10” on the mountains, but much less on the high desert, probably 2 – 3 south of Bend and east to Sisters.
This may be a good time to make sure you have an emergency winter car kit, below are some suggestions to keep you safe if you get stranded in the snow.
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Snow tapers off Saturday afternoon then returns again on Sunday. The forecast has the bulk of the snow staying to our south Sunday but if the northern edge of the snow shifts north, we may see a lot more snow Sunday.
The snow will linger on Monday, and again, if the track shifts north slightly, we may see a much more significant snow day. Current forecasts have our region getting off and on snow showers, that are expected to linger into Tuesday morning.
The area dries out a bit heading into the middle of next week, but this forecast is complicated and fluid. Stay tuned.
Please stay safe.
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