PORTLAND, Ore. — After a bout with light freezing rain and snow on Saturday morning, the Columbia River Gorge and Hood River Valley could be in for more wintry weather on Sunday.
Rain returns to the Portland metro area at around 9 a.m. Sunday before making its way east into the gorge by afternoon, according to KGW weather anchor Brian Brennan.
While precipitation is expected to be just rain in the Portland area, temperatures may be cool enough in the gorge that freezing rain returns to some areas.
“Right now, temperatures are forecasted to stay above freezing near the Columbia River level,” Brennan said on Saturday. “Should mean the downtown areas of Hood River and Stevenson remain free of significant ice or snow.”
Brennan and the National Weather Service said areas at 500 feet elevation or higher could get freezing rain, sleet and snow. NWS warns driving may be difficult on Highway 35 and Historic Columbia River Highway.
“Stay tuned to the forecast for this area as slight changes to the temperature will make for significant changes to what type of precipitation hits the ground,” Brennan said.
It would mark the second straight day of wintry precipitation in the area. Parts of the gorge and Hood River Valley woke up to snow on Saturday morning.
