Prepare for Messy Morning Commute

PORTLAND, OR — We need Rudolph and his beacon-y nose today, people! Temperatures are expected to be near or below freezing early Monday morning and a wintry mix of precipitation is expected, especially toward St. Helens and Rainier. KOIN6 is reporting the leading edge of the incoming system will be working with cold temperatures before the overall atmosphere starts to warm up by the afternoon.

Downtown Portland and Vancouver could also experience some freezing rain, which could cause roads to be especially slick. Spots across the Gorge will have to deal with icy roads too — from Troutdale to Hood River — before freezing rain turns into snow until about midday.

Snow is likely for Clark, Cowlitz and Skamania counties on Monday morning, before turning into rain closer to the afternoon hours.

There is a Winter Weather Advisory for the Southern Washington Cascades on Monday. That warning is also in effect for I-84 and the Gorge near Hood River and the Upper Hood River Gorge.

An Avalanche Warning is in effect for Monday through the Cascades. Heavy, wet snow can also weaken things up and cause problems. By the afternoon, conditions will warm up just enough to bring in rain and allow snow to melt. The next issue will be flooding as heavy rain continues through the day.

Photo by Oregon Dept. of Transportation via Flickr Commons