Oregon powder lovers,

Here we go again… a POWDER ALERT is in effect for THURSDAY and FRIDAY!

By now you’ve likely heard that chatter (from the Portland-centric media) about very low-elevation snow this week.  While I no longer specifically forecast for the low elevation cities west of the Cascades, I must point out that, if the snow level is potentially low enough to bring snow to valley-floor locations, then it’s going to be a cold, light, dry and fluffy powder that falls in the mountains!  And that’s exactly what I expect later this week.

By the time that you read this, snow will be increasing in the mountains.  Some new snow will fall Wednesday, but the most intense snow will fall later Wednesday into Thursday… with it easing off by off Friday morning.  Thursday will be the “snowy” powder day, and with tracks being filled-in throughout the day, look for an all-day “renewable” powder experience!  Friday morning’s powder will be deep, but it will get tracked-out faster that day as it will have stopped snowing by then.

How much snow?  I expect a minimum of 12-20” at every ski area from later Wednesday through Friday morning.  But it’s possible that the “big winners” will get nearly 3 feet of new snow during that time!  And with ski-area temperatures in the 10s or 20s all week, the powder will be fluffy and dry.

Enjoy the powder feast!

Drew Jackson
Ski Oregon meteorologist