10:43 PM Thu, Dec 11, 2008 | Permalink
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Ok-- that's a little over the top but at least I've your attention. I've spent most of the day staring into a computer screen, looking at charts, numbers and satellite loops. I gotta get a life!
There is no way around it-- we're going to get hit with a pretty big storm. I still see this coming in 3 parts.
Part one: Rain and wind arrives Friday.
A powerful low pressure center will come ashore on the Washington coast near Aberdeen. Very strong winds will develop though the day, high wind warnings and coastal flood warnings have already been issued. Wind gusts on the Oregon coast could reach 70mph on the headlands. In the Willamette Valley I see the peak winds between 4pm and 8pm. Locally gusts could reach 45 to 50mph.
Part two: Cold air arrivies Friday night and Saturday. Snow levels will drop like a rock. From 7000ft to 1500ft in just a few hours. Heavy snow will fall in the Cascades and Coast Range. Blizzard conditions will exist in Cascades much of Saturday. Maybe 3 feet of snow will fall in the mountains. Locally we'll see snow in the higher hills not on the valley floor. Precipitation Saturday will be a wintry mix with no accumulation below 500ft.
Part Three: A second wave of arctic air that arrives Sunday. Temperatures will fall into the teens and twenties. Another weak low will drop south along the coast. Moisture coming ashore will be snow, all the way to the valley floor. Amounts are still hard to predict at this time. We could see just a few flurries maybe an inch or two.
Lastly I don't see a warm up coming anytime soon. We might even see another snow event late next week!
Regards
Dave Salesky
Meteorologist KGW-TV
Do you think a planned trip to Lincoln City is a bad idea this weekend?
I use the radar loop on KGW.com but it hasn't worked for a week. What's up???
YESSSS! im excited!
Ummmmm, I cannot even tell you how excited I am for this snow event!! AND, I'm totally pumped for the fact that it's not gonna melt off within hours, like usual around here!! Bring on the snow and ice and shut down the city!! Everyone stay home with a hot chocolate or a peppermint patty and get out your sweaters cuz it's gonna be COLD!!!!!!!!!!! YAHOO HOO HOOEY!!
Annie in Vancouver