Weather or Not: An Abrupt Change
Sunday, Feb. 26th – Lincoln County
Summary: Sunny skies yesterday, rainy and windy overnight, cool temperatures.
Past 24 Hours High/Low/Gust/Rain…
Lincoln City: 51F/37F/32mph/0.14”
Depoe Bay: 50F/33F/35mph/0.11”
Newport: 46F/34F/32mph/0.12”
Waldport: 46F/34F/33mph/0.16”
Yachats: 51F/35F/32mph/0.11”
Newport Airport Conditions…
Ceiling: broken @ 1,700′, overcast @ 2,500′
Visibility: 10 miles/Wind: SW 20 mph G32/Altimeter: 29.77”
Forecast: On the heels of a gorgeous sunny day with light winds, conditions changed abruptly around 9:00pm last night when the next round of precipitation arrived. We’re back in the familiar Winter groove today; rain early turning to showers later,
sou’westers 20-25 mph gusting 30-35 and a high in the low-40s. Tonight and tomorrow, showers continue, lighter winds, low 35-40F and high in the upper-40s. Outlook is for showers Tuesday through Thursday, stormy Friday, then a chance of showers on Saturday. The mercury stays just below seasonal as highs reach the upper-40s and lows slump to the low-40s all week.
Seafood & Wine Festival… Rain, breezy and cool with a high of 40F today.
Be sure to follow Weather or Not’s Twitter feed to keep current on the latest Winter conditions. You’ll get updated travel info and notification of any new advisories, watches or warnings. Follow @chrisburnswx.
Travel: In the Coast Range this morning, there are areas of wet snow on the highways near the passes and temps 30-35F. Willamette Valley roads are wet, thermometer readings 35-40F. The Columbia River Gorge has wet pavement, temperatures 35-40F. For the Cascades, snow flurries, packed snow, spots of ice and cold with 20-25F in the passes this morning, carry chains or traction tires.
* Outlook for weekend travelers is mainly wet roads at elevations below 1,000 feet through tonight. A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for snow in the Coast Range through this evening with the heaviest snow expected this morning. The snow level will be near the passes at 1,000 feet with accumulations 2-5 inches; a few areas below 1,000 feet could see brief accumulations, but would be less than an inch. Highways will be snow-covered and slick at times. In the Cascades, a Winter Weather Advisory is also in effect through this evening for 4-8 inches of snow down to 1,000 feet. These periods of snow will cause primarily travel difficulties. Be prepared for snow-covered roads and limited visibilities, and use caution while driving.
* An interactive map of the latest Northwest/Central Oregon travel weather is available here. Also, motorists should always visit ODOT’s TripCheck before hitting the road.
Marine: Winds are SW 25-35 knots this morning with seas 7-8 feet at 17 seconds. A Small Craft Advisory for 
winds is in effect through this afternoon. A Small Craft Advisory for hazardous seas is in effect through tomorrow morning. Weak high pressure will build over the NE Pacific for a good portion of next week, keeping conditions rather quiet from Tuesday through Thursday. However, there could be some brief bouts of winds gusting to 25 knots. The next front is currently expected to arrive late Thursday or Friday. It looks fairly strong at this point, bringing a chance for gales. * Full text of the latest marine forecast is available here. And, make sure you check the latest Bar Reports before venturing offshore.
On the Beach… Rain, cool, surf 7-9’ feet (moderate).
* For a safe and enjoyable time on the Central Coast, the Oregon Parks & Recreation Department offers these Beach Safety Tips.
* Tides
02/26 Sun 05:54 AM 2.23 L
02/26 Sun 11:59 AM 8.98 H
02/26 Sun 06:24 PM -0.48 L
02/27 Mon 12:56 AM 8.38 H
In Short: Rain, showers, cool, then continued wet.
