Local Alert Day Thursday and Friday as more rain and snow arrive
Bend, Ore (KTVZ)-- The Local Alert Weather Team has issued a Local Alert Day for Thursday. The rain and mountain snow expected to start overnight into Thursday morning will impact the region. The morning commute may have some slick conditions as the event is expected to start out as a mix of rain and snow. The snow will begin before sunrise then transition to rain by the middle of the morning.
There is likely to be heavy rain at times across the mountains as a warm air mass and an atmospheric river will work in concert. There is a chance for over an inch of rain to fall in western Deschutes and Jefferson Counties by the end of the day. Minor flooding is possible, while landslides and mudslides are possible in some mountain locations west of the Tri-Counties.
The rain will transition to snow over the mountains Thursday into Friday after a cold front pushes through the state. A few inches of snow may accumulate, but may be mixed with some rain after sunrise reducing the total inches of snow that can be measured. Winds will be fairly robust again with gusts near 30 mph at times.
The Friday morning commute will be impacted by a wintry mix of rain and snow with snow being more dominant than the rain. For this reason we have issued another Local Alert Day for Friday. This alert day is only for the morning as the skies will clear late in the morning or early afternoon.
Saturday will be dry and chilly with highs in the low 40s.
Sunday will see periods of snow with some rain mixed in as well. This persistent pattern of rain and snow is due to the series of fronts that are forecast to cross the Pacific Northwest. Warm air ahead of the cold front allows the rain, the cold air behind the front switches the rain to snow.
Monday and Tuesday are expected to be dry, but another round of rain and snow is possible Wednesday, Christmas Eve.
Please, Stay safe.
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