Portland’s rainy, windy Friday leads into colder weekend. Snow by Sunday?

Much of Portland may wake to fairly dry weather early Friday, or some scattered showers that are expected ahead of a wet, blustery cold front moving into the region by the afternoon.

Heavier rainfall and strong winds are expected to move in by later in the day Friday. Winds may gust to as high as 30 mph at times, and the stronger showers falling as rain in the valleys will be snow above about 3,000 feet.

Friday is the last of the “warmer” weather until well into next week. Portland should see a daytime high of about 50 degrees, but the National Weather Service says the rest of the weekend could be slightly cooler with snow levels falling to about 1,000 feet by Saturday morning where they’ll mostly stay through the start of next week.

Just as Oregon spring breakers return home, heavy snow is expected in the Cascades and the Coast Range over the weekend. Elevations above 2,500-3,000 feet will collect feet of new snow, some areas more than 3-4 feet. The weather service predicts 1-2 feet of snow at elevations above 2,000 feet north of U.S. 20, and at 2,500 feet south of the Santiam Pass. Elevations above about 3,000 feet could see 2-4 feet of new snow by Sunday night.

By Saturday morning, all locations in southwest Washington and northwest Oregon above about 1,500 feet will be under a winter storm warning that portends of heavy snow at times. The one exception is the upper Hood River Valley due to downsloaping from the Cascades.

Those in the majority of the Portland/Vancouver area at elevations below 1,000 feet should just see cool rain showers Saturday. Thunderstorms are possible after about noon. Some of those storms could come with small hail and gusty winds. The high will reach about 50 degrees.

Chances of thunder continue into the evening hours. Snow levels that rose to about 2,500 feet during the day will sink back down to 1,500 feet overnight. The low will be near 38 degrees.

Sunday brings another chance of afternoon thunderstorms, as well as showers and gusty winds. The high in Portland will be about 48 degrees.

Overall, the lower elevations around Portland have a slight chance of snow or snow mixed with rain late Sunday and into Monday. Little-to-no accumulation is expected, but we may see spotty dustings on grassy surfaces that quickly melt away.

Snow levels will remain low, at 500-1,500 feet early Monday and Tuesday of next week, continuing the winter weather in the foothills and mountains, and bringing chances of spotty accumulations even to the valley floor. Winter isn’t done with us yet.