A state of emergency has been declared for Oregon residents from Christmas Eve through January 3rd as a result of the winter weather hazards.
Published Dec. 23, 2021 12:20 PM EST | Updated Dec. 24, 2021 4:59 AM EST
While the weather in some parts of the United States may have people thinking it's spring, forecasters say residents in the Pacific Northwest will certainly know which season it is in the coming days.
Mother Nature will be providing a snowy Christmas gift to residents in Seattle and Portland, Oregon, as frigid air rushing into the region will mesh with waves of moisture. That combination, although freezing cold, could make dreams of Christmas snowflakes a reality. Although some Northwest residents may get more than what they bargained for as a state of emergency was declared for Oregon from Christmas Eve through Jan. 3rd.
"Bitterly cold Siberian air is expected to rush southward across British Columbia and Alberta, Canada, at the end of the week, dropping temperatures 15-30 degrees Fahrenheit (8-16 degrees Celsius) below average," AccuWeather Meteorologist Jessica Storm said. "This chill is anticipated to spill over the Canada-U.S. border by early next week, bringing shiver-worthy weather to the Northwest."
The two temperate cities see much more rain than snow most years, with average snowfall totals standing at a mere 4.3 inches for Portland and 6.3 inches in Seattle. But this holiday season, snow won't be exclusively for the region's mountainous areas.
"Snow levels can drop close to valley floors, possibly yielding accumulating snow for the I-5 corridor between Seattle and Portland," AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Meteorologist Paul Pastelok said.
Forecasters say the official criteria of a white Christmas, defined by the National Weather Service as at least an inch of snow on the ground on Christmas morning, is unlikely to be met for many of the lower elevations, due to the timing of the coldest air and snow. The greatest chance of snowflakes flying in Seattle and Portland will be late on Christmas Day through Sunday, with a coating to up to an inch or two expected to whiten the cityscapes.
The last time Seattle experienced a white Christmas was in 2017, when 1 inch fell on Christmas Day after 1.6 inches fell the previous day.
In Portland, it's been a much longer wait. It’s been over a decade since the city had Christmas snow, when 0.9 of an inch fell in 2008.
AccuWeather meteorologists say that motorists will have the highest risk of encountering treacherous travel with slippery road conditions during Saturday night and Sunday morning as temperatures dip to near freezing levels.
On Thursday, the City of Portland and Multnomah County issued a state of emergency effective Friday and lasting until Jan. 3 due to the incoming storm. Hours later, Gov. Kate Brown expanded the state of emergency for all Oregon residents.
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Travelers over I-90, including Snoqualmie Pass, and other mountain roads across the Washington and Oregon Cascades can expect snow-jammed roadways and extremely difficult driving conditions into early next week, with several feet of snow expected to pile up.
By Sunday, high temperatures are likely to top out in only the lower 30s F in Seattle and upper 30s in Portland. The average high for both cities at this time of year is 46.
The mercury will plummet farther after dark Sunday as the thrust of the icy air charges in. A low of 20 is currently projected in Seattle on Sunday night, which would tie the daily record from 1968. Portland is forecast to approach its record low of 23 set in 1971.
As precipitation begins to wind down and the sky starts to clear early next week, temperatures are projected to fall even lower. Seattle and Portland have record lows on Monday night of 12 and 19, respectively, both of which were set in 1990 and could be challenged in the upcoming cold spell.
AccuWeather's long-range team expects colder-than-average weather to linger right through the end of 2021 in the Northwest, setting the stage for a few more opportunities for snow, both in the higher and lower elevations. The unusual chill can add strain on residents' wallets due to increased heating demands.
Farther south along the West coast, rounds of precipitation will continue to pummel California into early next week, with below-average temperatures reaching the Golden State for the final week of 2021.
This active weather pattern in the West is expected to settle down as December shifts to January, according to Pastelok. He added that while there could still be some storms in the West, they will likely not feature as much moisture, which would result in lower rainfall and snowfall amounts.
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