PORTLAND, Ore. — Oregonians in higher elevations could wake up to snow on Valentine's Day morning. Heavy snow is expected to fall in the Cascades and the coast range.
Snow could stick in the higher spots of Portland, but downtown will likely only stay wet with snowflakes in the air.
A cold front arriving Monday will bring rain to Portland and will open the door for colder air from the Gulf of Alaska. Weather models show snow levels dropping to 1,500 feet early Monday evening and further lowering to 500 feet for sticking snow early Tuesday morning, according to KGW meteorologist Rod Hill.
Below is a closer look at when the snow is expected to arrive and which areas could see the most accumulation. This story may be updated.
Snow potential in Portland
It's too early to project snow totals in the Willamette Valley, Hill said, but if showers are heavy enough, areas at 500 feet and higher could see 1-3 inches of sticking snow Monday overnight into Tuesday morning.
"As you rise in elevation to 1,000 feet, the threat builds for possibly 3-4 inches of snow, but again, we may not see enough moisture once snow levels lower to produce the mentioned amounts," Hill said.
Downtown Portland could see snowflakes or a rain mix in the air, but a westerly flow is expected to keep temperatures above 32 degrees, meaning the roads will stay mainly wet.
"Any snow accumulations in the Portland and Salem metro hills will melt away as Wednesday and Thursday afternoon temperatures warm well into the 40s," Hill said.
Snow in Oregon Coast Range
People planning to travel through the coast range on Tuesday should be prepared for 5-8 inches of snow over the coast range at and below 1,000 feet, according to Hill.
Heavy snow in the Cascade Mountains
Weather models show heavy snow over the Cascades, with Monday to Tuesday totals topping 10-18 inches in the ski areas.
Not sure what the elevation is where you live? The National Weather Service (NWS) has a chart on their website showing the elevations throughout Oregon.
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