Weather Eye: Clouds, rain, cold and snow are headed our way

It sure felt like we jumped into winter as November arrived Tuesday. It was chilly, and I felt comfortable with my fleece rain jacket on. As expected, snow fell down to our foothills early Wednesday, to elevations of 1,000 feet or so. I received several pictures of a winter wonderland.

Moderate to heavy snow fell in the Cascades. Some of Wednesday’s showers produced hail, enough to turn the ground white, even along the ocean beaches.

We have a brief break today, but clouds and rain are quickly heading our way, and rain may begin falling after dark. This time, however, it will be a milder air mass, with snow levels above the ski slopes. Yep, the old pineapple express will aim its ugly head our way. I can’t believe computer models that are forecasting 2 or 3 inches of rain here.

Minor flooding could occur on some waterways. Salmon Creek will be running muddy and fast.

Then, forecasts see cold temperatures invading the region over the weekend, with snow down to valley floors. One reliable model showed several inches of snow in Vancouver on Monday and Tuesday.

If we had a sticking snow this early in November, that would be an entry in the record books. Seems like we have had a lot of that lately. The mountains will receive heavy snow all next week, with rain changing to snow on Saturday. Expect a couple of feet in the major ski areas.

What to do? Get ready for today’s deluge, clean gutters and drains of leaves, and bring in the lawn furniture.