Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Portland OR
354 AM PST Sat Jan 6 2024
…A PROLONGED PERIOD OF HEAVY CASCADE SNOW IS BECOMING
INCREASINGLY LIKELY JANUARY 9-11, 2024…
…AFTER A RELATIVELY MILD WINTER THUS FAR, THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR
THE COLDEST TEMPERATURES OF THE SEASON JANUARY 12-15, 2024…
An active weather pattern will impact the region over the next
seven days or more as a series of storm systems brings additional
rounds of valley rain and heavy Cascade snow.
Heavy snow in the Cascades on Saturday, January 6 will become much lighter Sunday
into Monday, January 7-8. However, snow will likely become heavy
again in the Cascades on Tuesday, January 9th and then remain
heavy much of the time through Thursday, January 11th.
Given the prolonged period of heavy snow expected in the Cascades, total
snow amounts are shaping up to be the highest so far this season.
There is a 50-80% chance for 48-hour snow amounts in
excess of 30 inches for elevations above 2000-2500 feet from 4 a.m.
January 9 through 4 a.m. January 11.
Several inches of snow is also in the forecast for elevations above 2000 feet in the Coast
Range.
Westerly winds will increase during that time with gusts to around 40 mph, except over 50-60 mph in the high Cascades.
Anyone with travel plans over the Cascade passes and/or through the coastal mountains will need to be well prepared for dangerous travel conditions due to a combination of heavy snow and blowing snow.
Beyond January 11, possible coldest temperatures of the season across the region. However, “possible” is the key word here as forecast confidence is
currently low.
In fact, the warmest model solutions are showing temperatures several degrees above normal for this time of year while the coldest model solutions are showing temperatures over 20 degrees below normal.
Nevertheless, the probability of below freezing overnight temperatures currently ranges between 50-70 percent across the lowlands of northwest Oregon and southwest Washington January 12-14, including the coast.
With the potential for below freezing temperatures down to the valley floor, there is also a chance of accumulating lowland snow during that time. While the details remain unclear, it is worth monitoring the forecast for potential changes and additional information over the next several days.
