Oregon Weather 3/8 Midday - Winter Weather Advisory

Good afternoon. Oregon. I'm Matt Mullins. Step outside right now and you'll feel that late-winter chill hanging on. Currently 50 degrees under gray skies. But here's what's about to change. A cold front is sliding through. And it's bringing rain and a temperature drop. The Willamette Valley sees rain kicking in around noon. By this afternoon, you've got an 80 percent chance of showers with highs reaching 55 degrees before falling. West-southwest winds gust to 22 miles an hour — you'll feel that bite. Down in the Southern Willamette Valley, you stay mostly dry until after 2 P.M. That's when rain arrives, though chances stay lower at 40 percent. You top out at 58 degrees with lighter winds around 6 miles an hour. Now head east to Central Oregon. And it's a completely different day. Mostly sunny skies with highs near 58 degrees. West winds gust to 21, but you stay dry all day. Tonight, the cold air really settles in. The valley drops to 37 degrees with lingering rain showers likely through 9 P.M. Southern areas fall to 36. But Central Oregon? You plunge to 29 under mostly clear skies — then temperatures actually rise overnight to 34 as winds shift southwest. Here's your week ahead. Monday brings showers and thunderstorms to the valley — 100 percent chance with highs near 48. Snow mixes in Monday night as temps drop to 34. Tuesday stays unsettled with rain and snow showers, highs near 49. Mid-week turns active. Rain and snow Wednesday, heavy rain Thursday, then rain continues Friday. Highs hold in the low to mid-50s. By next weekend, rain chances ease to 50 percent Saturday with highs near 53. One more thing — clocks spring forward tonight. You lose an hour of sleep, but we're gaining daylight. Spring equinox is just 12 days away. See you this evening.