Winter weather alerts are in place for much of Oregon and Southwest Washington Thursday and Friday, including potential snow and freezing rain along the Willamette Valley, the Coast Range and the Columbia River Gorge.

In the southern Willamette Valley, including Eugene, Albany and Salem, snow began falling early Thursday morning. The National Weather Service said snow was likely to begin in the Portland/Vancouver metro area by 10 a.m. That snow along the valley is expected to turn into freezing rain by the afternoon, forecaster Elizabeth Muessle said in the area forecast discussion Thursday morning.

“This has us concerned that folks living in the Portland/Vancouver metro will wake up before 9 a.m., notice it is still dry out and head to work,” Muessle said, “then have a very difficult time trying to commute back home in the evening as there will likely be some snow and ice on roads, resulting in hazardous travel conditions.”

Due to the looming winter storm, dozens of districts in Oregon and Southwest Washington announced they would close schools for the day Thursday.

See closures and delays from Southwest Washington to Salem

An ice storm warning is in place until 4 a.m. Friday for the central and southern Willamette Valley and the central Oregon Coast Range. In the Portland/Vancouver metro area and the northern Coast Range, a winter storm warning is in effect through 10 a.m. Friday.

“In both scenarios, both snow and freezing rain will create hazardous conditions, just a matter of how much of each,” Muessle said. “Regardless of which scenario pans out, hazardous conditions can be expected that will certainly impact the Thursday morning and evening commutes. With ice accumulations expected, power outages will be possible.”

We'll be posting throughout the day with updates on conditions and forecasts. Here's a quick snapshot of current temperatures and peak wind gusts since midnight. https://t.co/QlTpWyTELE #orwx #wawx #pdxtst pic.twitter.com/ZigH7vMsUH

— NWS Portland (@NWSPortland) February 13, 2025

Hazardous conditions are expected to continue from the Coast Range to the Cascades and in the Gorge through at least midday Friday.

In the northern and central Oregon Cascades and foothills, up to a foot of snow is possible. A winter weather advisory is in place through 10 p.m. Friday.

Most of Oregon east of the Cascades is also under a winter weather advisory for cold weather and moderate to heavy snowfall through 10 p.m. Friday, including Bend, La Grande and Pendleton. High winds are also possible in many areas.

News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2025/02/13/ice-winter-storm-warning/