Oregon Weather March 5 Midday - Winter Weather Advisory

Good afternoon. Oregon. I'm Aaron Jolly. Step outside right now and that damp 48 degrees tells you everything. Classic early March — overcast, jacket weather. And showers lurking just around the corner. In the next 24 hours. The Willamette Valley climbs to 52 degrees this afternoon before temperatures start their slide. Scattered showers pop up before 5 P.M., then rain returns after 8 P.M. Tonight. Lows settle around 44 degrees. Down in the Southern Valley, you're at 49 today with rain chances, dropping to 41 tonight with more widespread showers. Now head east to Central Oregon. Completely different world. Sunny skies and 45 degrees, but northwest winds gust to 21 miles an hour. Tonight plunges to 28 with a chance of mixed rain and snow after 4 A.M. The mountains are getting hammered. Winter Weather Advisories stay up for the Northern Blue Mountains until 10 P.M. — 6 to 10 inches of snow and gusts to 35. Wind Advisories run until 7 P.M. For the foothills and north central Oregon, where gusts could hit 50 miles an hour. Not the day for a scenic drive up there. Here's your week ahead. Friday brings rain statewide — valley highs around 52. Central Oregon climbs to 50. Saturday offers a break with mostly sunny skies and 61 degrees in the Southern Valley. Sunday through Tuesday, scattered showers return. The twist? Cold air pushes south late Monday into Tuesday, bringing a chance for lowland snow Tuesday morning. The odds are low — 30 to 45 percent for a rain-snow mix — but if you're in the Portland-Vancouver metro, keep an eye on it. For those mountain drives tonight. Conditions are rough up there. For the extended outlook, check the latest forecast as confidence improves. That's your forecast — we'll be back tomorrow.