Cold winds

Courtesy:  NOAA/NWS, Portland, OR   Monday, 29 December 2014

SYNOPSIS:   A turn to much colder and windy weather is expected today tonight. Snow showers will continue over the Cascades this morning. We will see spotty accumulations of snow as low as 500 to 1000 feet this morning. Then will see clearing as the cold offshore flow increases later this morning and afternoon.  Winds may gust 30 to 45 mph at times across much of higher terrain, but strongest winds will be in the western Columbia River Gorge where cold east winds will gust 55 to 70 mph.  Winds will also be brisk across the coast range and the coast, and work their way south through the Willamette Valley Tuesday. Low temperatures will fall into the teens and lower 20s beginning Tuesday and Wednesday night. Highs in the valleys will struggle to reach 32 degrees Tuesday through Thursday, with 30s at the coast, and single digits and teens in the Cascades. The winds in the Cascades Monday night and Tuesday morning could produce dangerous wind chills of 15 to 25 degrees below zero.

PRIMARY AREAS IMPACTED: 

Columbia River Gorge:  East winds 30 to 40 mph with gusts to 70 mph at the typically windiest locations at the west end. The winds will increase during the day today, with the strongest winds will be tonight and Tuesday. Wind chills of 10 below to 10 above zero are possible.

South Washington and North Oregon Cascades: East winds will increase during the day today, reach 15 to 30 mph with gusts to 55 mph tonight and Tuesday. Wind chills could reach 20 below zero, and a Wind Chill Warning is in effect for tonight and Tuesday morning. Another 1 to 4 inches of snow are expected this morning before the snow showers end by early afternoon.

North and Central Oregon Coast Range and Willapa Hills of southwest Washington: East winds will increase today, and peak tonight and Tuesday with 20 to 30 mph with gusts to 45 or 50 mph, especially at higher elevations.