A vigorous cold front resided over our area Saturday, with gusty winds and light to moderate rain. Temperatures remained steady between 46 and 48 degrees.
The cold air behind the front was just arriving along the coast, where temperatures dropped into the low 40s and snow was mixing in with the rain in the coastal mountains. That should turn to snow today above 1,500 feet or so.
Winds here in the county were blustery, with reported gusts to 40 mph Saturday. Along our ocean beaches, wind gusts were nothing out of the ordinary, at 50 to 60 mph.
Driving around the Salmon Creek area Saturday, I noticed several inflatable holiday figures lying sideways on the ground. I hear there were a few power outages in that location as well. Most of the leaves that were resisting falling to the ground finally succumbed.
We will have a chilly winter air mass with us all week long, with periods of rain and plenty of mountain snow. We will also have some clearing periods. In heavier showers, we will see snow down to city levels, so watch for those big, wet flakes.
At this time, I expect no sticking snow here in the lowlands. However, it is impossible not to rule out a cold, heavy shower coating grassing areas in places like Battle Ground and Ridgefield. Kids, keep doing your homework; there are no snow days on the horizon.
Friday, I had reports of a dusting in our foothills at and above 1,000 feet. We will repeat this off and on all week, with several inches likely to fall. The ski season has already begun, with a few openings Saturday on Mount Hood.
Expect highs this week in the low 40s and lows in the low 30s. With clearing overnight, freezing is possible. Keep tuned to the local forecasts in case a “surprise” event develops; sometimes brief snowfalls take place quickly.
I’ll be keeping warm in my down jacket.
Breathe in the fresh air today. We will chat again on Tuesday.
