PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Snow and freezing rain will be possible along mountain passes on Wednesday as folks travel to and from the Portland area for Thanksgiving.
KOIN 6 Meteorologist Josh Cozart warns that the early morning hours will be especially hazardous along mountain passes this week as freezing overnight temperatures could create icy roads on Wednesday and Thursday.
“This latest storm is pretty fast-moving,” Cozart said. “That means it won’t have a lot of time to impact those mountain passes any more than about a day. The early morning hours are where mountain pass commuters have the best potential to run into slick roads. Freezing early morning lows could make conditions slick above 4,000 to 5,000 feet by Thanksgiving morning.”
Portland’s National Weather Service office forecasts a 50% chance of rain across Mount Hood Tuesday night and snow at elevations above 6,000 feet after midnight. On Wednesday, morning rain is expected to turn to snow by the late afternoon. A mix of rain and mountain snow will persist through Wednesday night.
Snow is not expected to accumulate along mountain passes during the holiday travel week. However, freezing rain is possible Wednesday morning in the Upper Hood River Valley and Coast Range. Freezing overnight temperatures could create icy roads along Hwy 285, Hwy 31 and the mountain passes through the Coast Range. The weather is expected to improve by Thanksgiving as overnight lows rise above freezing.
“After Wednesday’s mountain snow chances, the weather looks to be much drier and mild,” Cozart said. “That will make the commute home over the weekend easier for those traveling in the Pacific Northwest.”
