Yahoo Autos UPDATE: 3 feet of snow forecast on Oregon mountain passes, snow possible in valley
Story updated at 8 a.m. on Thursday, March 22
Heavy snow in the Cascade mountains and the possibility of low-elevation snow, perhaps as low as the Willamette Valley, could throw a wrench into spring break travel plans late this week and into the weekend.
A winter storm warning for up to three feet of snow at Cascade Mountain pass levels — and around a foot of snow on Coast Range passes — has been issued for Thursday to Saturday in northwest Oregon.
The snow could make travel across the mountains difficult to impossible even as spring break plans to hit the road ramp up.
In the Willamette Valley and Columbia Gorge, there will be multiple chances for low-elevation or valley snow during nights and mornings from Thursday to Sunday, National Weather Service meteorologist David Bishop said.
Major mountain snow forecast
What’s clear is heavy snow is likely to impact anyone traveling between the Willamette Valley and Central Oregon. This particularly applies to travel over Santiam Pass (U.S. Highway 20), Willamette Pass (Highway 58) and the Mount Hood area (Highway 26).
“If people are traveling for spring break late this week and the weekend, they should be aware, check the forecast and check TripCheck.com,” Bishop said.
Coast Range Highways between the Willamette Valley and Oregon Coast could see 4 to 12 inches, mainly at the higher elevations.
The heaviest snow and worst travel conditions appears to start letting up by Friday evening and into Saturday, but plenty of additional snow still is forecast for the mountain passes through Saturday.
