The right mixture of cooler temperatures and consistent precipitation on Wednesday night allowed for what meteorologists call the “wet bulb” effect.
“Basically what that is, is big fat drops of rain. If there’s enough of it, those raindrops can actually lower the ambient temperature and cause that rain to transition into snow.”
David Bishop is with the National Weather Service. He said areas as low as 500 feet have seen a rain/snow mix with trace accumulations across the Willamette Valley including Eugene and Springfield.
These rain/snow showers in the lower elevations are expected to continue much the same over Thursday night. However, Bishop said higher temperatures on Friday and Saturday should result in the transition to a rainy weekend.
Bishop reminded drivers to use trip check before hitting the road and be prepared when traveling to areas which may require traction control devices.