People in much of the Willamette Valley, including Eugene and Corvallis, could be greeted by up to an inch of snow on the ground when they wake up Tuesday morning. The National Weather Service has issued a “Winter Weather Advisory” for most of the area from 10 p.m. Monday to 10 a.m. Tuesday.
“There’s more or less a 50 percent chance for upwards of an inch or snow, especially on grassy surfaces,” said Colby Neuman, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Portland. “It will probably have a harder time sticking on pavement, but that’s certainly not out of the question either.”
Neuman said any changeover from rain to snow should occur either late Monday night or early Tuesday morning, with the switch likely happening earlier in places like Oakridge or the Coast Range. That sets up a potentially slick commute Tuesday morning.
The city of Eugene said Monday afternoon that it's getting ready for the potential snowfall.
"The night crew will be monitoring the conditions and responding as needed," said Community Engagement Coordinator Elissa Gavette in a statement sent to news organizations. "Deicers, sanders and snow plows have been prepped."
While Eugene has had some passing snow showers and flurries this winter, Neuman said the last officially measurable snowfall at the Eugene airport occurred in December of 2021, when the area received several inches of snow over two days.
Anything that sticks to the ground this time around is likely to be short-lived, however, as temperatures are expected to warm back into the low-40’s by Tuesday afternoon.
“Whatever snow does fall, I would expect it to melt pretty darn quickly,” said Neuman. “I would think travel conditions in general should be much better by the afternoon, if they are dicey to begin with, and that’s not a guarantee.”
Typical for winter, conditions in the Cascades passes are expected to be much more challenging for drivers than in the valley.
“It’s going to be a difficult time to get up and over the Cascades for the next day or so,” said Neuman. “Roads will be slick.”
Oregon drivers can check tripcheck.com or call 511 to check on road conditions before heading out.
