Weather Eye: Mild weather continues, but winter will be arriving

It may be difficult to imagine winter weather while the sun is shining brightly and we are basking in 70-degree weather in late October. The National Weather Service is hosting Winter Weather Awareness Week and you can find information each day this week at its website: www.wrh.noaa.gov/pqr/.

On its Facebook page the National Weather Service in Portland has also posted a link to a good YouTube video on winter weather. Well worth viewing.

Taking a few moments out for a weather refresher is good for everyone. Especially when I hear many people complain about others and their driving on snow and ice. Also for those who venture out in winter to the backcountry and associated hazards (do you have new batteries in your weather radio?).

I wish I could accurately predict just what our winter weather will be but as we all know, the great weather machine has a mind of its own. I can tell you that there is still no rain on the horizon, maybe as November enters the picture but that is a ways out.

The afternoon high temperatures will slowly drop into the 60s and next week could be breezy and cool as a cold air mass slides down to our east. Gusty east winds in the Gorge will be the main effect but also freezing temperatures in wind-sheltered areas overnight.

This is the last time I can remind you of the winter forecast meeting at OMSI 10 a.m. Saturday. The public is invited to hear weather experts put their spin on our upcoming winter weather.

Patrick Timm is a local weather specialist. His column appears Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.