Blowing snow makes driving hazardous on Interstate 84 in Oregon in this Jan. 13, 2024 file photo, and conditions like this could return Wednesday night in the Gorge, the Cascades and the Hood River Valley. The National Weather Service has issued a storm warning in those areas.
Oregon Department of Transportation/Flickr
A winter storm warning has been issued for the Columbia River Gorge and the Cascades, where more than a foot of snow could fall at higher elevations through Thursday afternoon.
And the National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for the Portland Metro area from 8 p.m. Wednesday through 4 p.m. Thursday. Forecasters now say there’s a chance that up to an inch of snow could fall overnight and impact the Thursday morning commute.
But that snow will most likely fall at elevations above 500 feet.
Because there is a chance of snow in the forecast, Multnomah County will open four severe weather shelters from 8 p.m. Wednesday through at least 10 a.m. Thursday. More information is available by calling 2-1-1 or visiting 211info.org.
While the most likely scenario remains cold rain for the Portland/Vancouver area Wed PM - Thu PM, a few models suggest there is a small chance of snow. Be prepared and weather aware! Keep up with the latest forecast at https://t.co/3SFImIxo7o pic.twitter.com/eVSipFoeyS
— NWS Portland (@NWSPortland) February 13, 2024
A winter weather advisory is also in place through Thursday morning in Central Oregon, from Warm Springs to Bend, for up to 3 inches of snow.
Oregon transportation officials say anyone with plans to travel Wednesday or Thursday, especially through higher elevations, should be prepared for treacherous driving conditions.
This week’s winter weather comes a month after winter storms dumped snow and blew high wind gusts across much of Oregon and Southwest Washington. That snow later gave way to freezing rain, leaving a sheet of ice that led to road closures, fallen trees and thousands of people without power.