"A winter storm is expected in the Columbia River Gorge, mountain passes, and possibly Portland area this week

* WHAT...Significant icing expected. Total snow accumulations of up to 3 inches and ice accumulations of one tenth to one half of an inch. Winds gusting as high as 40 mph. * WHERE...Central Coast Range of Western Oregon. * WHEN...From 10 PM this evening to 10 PM PST Saturday. * IMPACTS...Expect power outages and tree damage due to the ice. Travel will be very difficult.

WINTER STORM WATCH NOW IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE SATURDAY NIGHT...

Winter is hitting Oregon hard this week with snow, high winds and cold in many parts of the state. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) sees the first severe storms of the season with blizzard conditions including near zero visibility starting today. Last night I-84 in eastern Oregon saw multiple closures for crashes and spun-out vehicles that struggled to gain traction on snowy roads. U.S 97 is snow covered from Redmond south to the border with California and blizzard conditions are due to hit the corridor south of Bend.

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.

The National Weather Service has issued a Flood Warning for the Siletz River in effect from Monday, December 5 at 8:36 am to Tuesday, December 6 at 9:18 am. This message has been forwarded to those households who have contact information within the Siletz flood plain and those Lincoln Alerts profiles who selected to receive "Siletz River Flooding" notifications.

The National Weather Service in Portland OR has issued a Flood Warning for the following rivers in Oregon... Wilson River near Tillamook affecting Tillamook County. Nehalem River near Foss affecting Clatsop and Tillamook Counties. Siletz River at Siletz affecting Lincoln County. Trask River near Tillamook affecting Tillamook County.

A series of atmospheric rivers will bring periods of widespread heavy rain through early next week.

Snow is forecast for the Cascades. Several inches of snow and gusty winds are expected for the passes and above, making travel at higher elevations very difficult. ⛓ Carry chains and be prepared for winter driving conditions.

The Oregon Department of Transportations (ODOT) has issued an advisory for this upcoming winter driving season. "This year, with costs increasing, and fuels tax revenues...