Mild pattern to end January and kick off February
Bend, Ore (KTVZ) – Ridge of high pressure begins to take over the west coast and will keep most of the rain away as we warm slightly. The rain showers will be mainly north today with a slight chance for a light rain shower, but generally a gray and breezy day is expected.
Travel to the mountains today will be lovely with slightly above normal temperatures and periods of sunshine and clouds. Snow riders, of course, would love to have more snow, but it is not expected this weekend. Possible dusting Sunday, but very low chance.
Tonight, the area will see mostly clearing skies as the ridge begins to take over. Overnight lows will be in the 20s and 30s with 20s being La Pine and Sisters and the 30s will be most other locations. The clearing scenario may allow a bit more cooling than what is being advertised by the models, but generally a chilly and breezy night is expected.
Saturday will be mostly sunny and dry with the mercury in the thermometer rising into the middle to upper 50s. The ridge takes control as it builds into the PNW, providing the warmth and the sunshine. A large area of low pressure in the upper levels of the atmosphere is spinning well off the coast but may give us some cloud cover Sunday.
The low in the Pacific is forecast to migrate toward the Gulf of Alaska and drag a line of cloud cover across the coast Sunday. This will give us a cooler day, but still in the 50s, and a slight chance for a rogue shower to cross Central Oregon. For the most part this feature will not impact us much, other than the clouds and slightly cooler conditions.
Groundhog Day is Monday and we should see a partly to mostly cloudy day with highs near 50 which is just slightly cooler than Sunday. Tuesday and Wednesday are going to be dry and mild with highs in the middle 50s.
The dry pattern will linger through the rest of the week as the ridge keeps the region quiet with highs in the middle 50s.
As for Groundhog Day, remember, if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, he gets frightened and scurries back into his burrow. That means we are expected to see six more weeks of winter. If he comes out on a cloudy day and stays out for a spell, and does not see his shadow, we are expected to get an early spring.
The Vernal Equinox, the first day of the Astronomical Spring, is on March 20th this year at 7:46 am. Just a few days past the “six weeks of winter” possible claim by the prognosticating rodent. Funny how things seem to fall into place each year.
Please, Stay safe.
Don’t forget to download the Local Alert Weather App to stay connected with our team of meteorologists.
You can get access to LIVE radar and receive urgent weather alerts so you’re always prepared.
