UPDATE (Monday, Feb. 25, 2019, at 7:15 a.m. PT) — Dozens of school districts through the greater Willamette Valley region are delayed or closed Monday due to winter weather. A winter storm has forced many districts in the Columbia River Gorge to close. More on closings and delays here.
Snow hit the Eugene area especially hard overnight Sunday. As much as 10 inches accumulated in the area by 7 a.m. Monday, according to the Statesman Journal. Higher elevations were hit even harder, with an avalanche closing Highway 20 at Santiam Pass in both directions.
Following hwys are closed, cont: US 101 S of #Bandon at Four Mile, MP 282,
— OregonDOT (@OregonDOT) February 25, 2019
OR 138 East between MP 17 & 60, just E of Glide to West Toketee. Expect delays due to small slides on OR 42 in #CoosCounty. Expect delays/winter conditions from #DouglasCounty N into the #WillametteValley.
According to the National Weather Service, a winter storm warning is in effect for the Cascades in Lane County through 10 p.m. Monday. A similar warning is in effect for the Gorge until 7 p.m. and for the upper Hood River Valley until midnight.
Original story: Portland and the surrounding areas could see slight snow accumulation Sunday night into Monday.
"For the Portland metro area, it looks like there is a chance we could see some snow down to the valley floor," said David Bishop with the National Weather Service's Portland office.
NWS on Sunday issued a winter weather advisory for the Portland-Vancouver area until Monday at 9 a.m. Areas east of Interstate 5 and higher than 500 feet of elevation can expect an inch or so.
The Cascades will see heavy snow accumulation, Bishop said.
"Around Sandy, Estacada, Silver Falls State Park, Government Camp — we're talking elevations between 1,500 and 2,000 feet or so — could see snow accumulation of about 10 to 20 inches through Sunday," Bishop said, "as well as another round of heavy snow possible through Sunday night through Monday night which could add another 12 to 24 inches of snow."
Major winter weather events have been a boost to Oregon's snowpack in recent months. Capital Press reported Oregon's total snowpack was 93 percent of average as of mid-February.
Areas south of Salem were not expecting snow as of Saturday, but updated forecast information from the NWS Sunday indicates between 4 and 6 inches for Eugene and 3 to 4 inches for Salem.
Hood River may see 4 to 6 inches. Bend could see up to a foot.
Here are the current Expected Snowfall amounts from Sunday night through Monday. Note: We have split the area into North and South. If you don't see your area on one of the pictures, please check the other one. #wawx #orwx pic.twitter.com/fdGq3LSmQR
— NWS Portland (@NWSPortland) February 24, 2019
Portland city leaders held a press conference in early February, saying they’re better prepared for winter weather than two years ago, when snowstorms and lingering ice paralyzed Portland for the second half of January.
The expected snow event that precipitated that press conference dropped anywhere from a light dusting to a few inches across the metro area.
