By Rod Hill on 2011-01-09
Colder air arriving Monday will bring gusty east winds and allow metro temperatures in the 20s Tuesday overnight as moisture approaches from the south. The set up will bring a warm front pushing up from our south with east winds driving cold air into the moisture north of the warm front as it arrives. The result could be 1-2 days of snow with totals of a foot or more Wednesday through Thursday. The "natural" snow level will be near 3,000' or higher. Elevations below the snow level will likely see a mix of ice and snow. If the metro gets a lot of sleet or freezing rain, snow totals may be closer to six inches. Areas south of Salem may see a brief period of winter before warmer air brings rain. Tough to tell how long Salem will stay in the cold zone before warming above freezing. Again, the heart of the storm will be in the gorge outflow areas.
I will be watching all charts closely to see if the models back off or change. If not, Portland could see a foot or more of snow Wednesday and Thursday! As of Saturday evening, the above still verifies.
Please keep updated.
Rod Hill
Daylight March Toward Spring