Snow is in the forecast
By Terry Murry on Tuesday, October 24th, 2023 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
PENDLETON – The National Weather Service is predicting snow today and tomorrow for both the Blue Mountains and Wallowa Mountains in Eastern Oregon as well as the eastern slopes of the Cascades in Oregon and Washington. The forecast says that lower elevations could also see some snow mixed with rain Wednesday night into Friday.
There is an El Nino in effect, which normally means warmer and drier conditions for the Pacific Northwest. However, that doesn’t mean there won’t be any snow at all.
“There’s going to be winter conditions out here,” Umatilla County Emergency Manager Sage DeLong said. “With that comes preparedness and gearing up for the winter season. Emergency managers in this region are really looking to prepare for that.”
DeLong urges people to avoid driving in dangerous winter conditions if at all possible. Those who do travel should make sure their vehicles are serviced, have plenty of gas, and have traction tires or chains. ODOT also recommends packing emergency supplies like water, blankets, and food just in case they are stuck in traffic when highways are forced to close.
