PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland is finally getting some overdue sunshine to cap off what has otherwise been an exceptionally cold and rainy April. After stubbornly holding mainly in the 50s for weeks, temperatures have soared up into the 70s over the past two days and are expected to crack 80 degrees for the weekend.
The city reached a high of 77 degrees on Wednesday, according to KGW meteorologist Rod Hill, marking the first above-70 day of the year, and the first above-80 day is expected to follow Thursday or Friday.
The forecast as of noon Thursday calls for a high of 82 degrees on Friday, Hill said, which would break the previous record high for that date set back in 1998.
It would also put the city ahead of schedule in terms of the transition to summer weather, Hill said, although only by a couple weeks; the average first day to break 80 degrees is May 8.
The abrupt weather reversal means that April 2023 is not going to become Portland's wettest April on record, despite being firmly on track to do so at first. The record of 5.73 total inches of rainfall was set just last year, and 2023 was more than keeping pace for the first half of the month.
As it stands, April 2023 is Portland's fourth-wettest April on record with 5.08 inches of rain so far. But it could have one last shot to move at least a little further up the list — cooler weather and rain showers are expected to return Sunday, Hill said.
Portland's average April rainfall is only 2.89 inches, so no matter where it ends up on the list, April 2023 has been far wetter than usual.
Next week will be a bit of a step back in terms of summer weather, according to Hill, but not a return to the recent dreary conditions — highs will be in the 60s or low 70s, with possible showers but little total rainfall.
Mountain conditions
Timberline Lodge was still open for skiing and snowboarding Thursday and is expected to stay open at least Friday and Saturday. Winter operations will continue through May 29, conditions permitting, although some lifts have already closed down.
Mount Hood Meadows has already ended daily operations but is set to reopen for one last round Friday and Saturday before fully ending the season.
Timberline saw four inches of snow melt Wednesday, according to Hill, and the Northwest Avalanche Center put out a notice warning visitors in the Washington Cascades and Mount Hood areas to be mindful of dangerous avalanche conditions during the prolonged warm-up.
The snowpack at mid and high elevations has not transitioned to a typical uniform spring snowpack, according to the center, which increases the likelihood of wet snow avalanches and cornice falls. The notice is in place through 6 p.m. Saturday and could be extended to Sunday depending on weather conditions.
Streams and rivers fed by the Cascades will also be on the rise in the coming days, Hill said, although there hasn't been enough snow melt to produce flooding.