Still frozen tonight, then ice storm east metro tomorrow, then warming for Christmas Eve

Our forecast has been working out about as expected, although more of the precipitation last night and today has fallen as ice pellets instead of liquid freezing rain. But it was a wintry mix and the effect is the same…icy roads!

WHAT’S AHEAD

• All areas from Salem to Longview (including metro area) stay locked in ice through sunrise Saturday
• During the day Saturday, temperatures warm above freezing EVERYWHERE except areas from about I-205 eastward to the Columbia River Gorge, from just north of the Columbia river down to about Powell/Foster road areas. This will be the last place to thaw...most likely not until sometime after 3pm
• Warming will be dramatic in the valley, west metro, south metro, and SW Washington tomorrow midday and afternoon. Your location could jump from 32 to 55 in an hour or so as south wind arrives! In these areas, road conditions should be MUCH better late in the day and into Christmas Eve (after sunset)
• This means that much of the metro area will be finished with the ice storm midday/PM tomorrow
• Moderate to heavy rain falls tomorrow morning through early afternoon. The result will be the heaviest ice glazing so far in the areas still frozen. That’s most likely central/east metro and into the Gorge. But even in those areas, temperatures should rise above freezing at some point Saturday evening. Assume roads will stay iced over through much of the night tomorrow night out there.
• Finally, Sunday we’ll just see light showers and temperatures above freezing all day. A cool easterly wind returns, but with temperatures warm enough to avoid more freezing rain
• Columbia River Gorge remains frozen east of Troutdale through Sunday, then a thaw commences (slowly) on Monday.

We are now in a very wet period and we’ll see wet Pacific weather systems about every other day for Christmas week. Temperatures remain mild with no freezing most likely through the New Year.

Copyright 2022 KPTV-KPDX. All rights reserved.