Passing showers over the next few days, mild pattern returns
Bend, Ore (KTVZ) – Mostly cloudy skies as a large system centered in the Eastern Pacific is moving inland. The line of cloud cover will migrate over Oregon today and Wednesday will be the beginning of the rainy period. This wet pattern will be off and on through Thursday. Mountain snow is expected each of the next few days as this system crossed the region.
The amount of rain and snow will be light as the best way to describe this event will be “periods of rain mixed with some snow” at times. The snow will be present overnight and not accumulate much more than a half inch or so across the high desert. The rain will also be passing through quickly and be light as well.
Travel through the mountain passes may be tricky this week as the snow level is expected to be above pass level, but there may be some black ice early in the morning.
Tonight, I expect a few showers before midnight that may be mixed with a little snow but should not be enough to impact the morning commute Wednesday.
Wednesday will be mostly cloudy with highs in the upper 40s. A stray shower is possible but as with the previous round of showers, it will be light and short lived.
Thursday will also be mostly cloudy with a passing shower. Highs will be slightly warmer, topping out in the low 50s,
Friday, Groundhog Day, will be mild and dry with a mix of clouds and sunshine. Saturday is slated to be mild and dry with mostly sunny skies, but clouds move in on Sunday but should only squeeze out some light precipitation across the Cascades. Highs will be in the 50s both days.
Remember, if the Groundhog sees his shadow, it scares him and he scurries back into his burrow. As a result, we have six more weeks of winter. The Vernal Equinox, the official start of the astronomical spring, is when the direct rays of the sun cross the equator giving us equal amounts of daylight and darkness. This year the equinox occurs at 7:46 am Pacific Time on March 20th, just a little over six weeks after Groundhog Day. Funny how that happens.
Please, Stay safe.
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