Full Notification

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORTLAND OR

530 AM PDT THU MAR 27 2014

..VERY WET AND STRONG STORM EXPECTED TO IMPACT SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON AND NORTHWEST OREGON THIS EVENING THROUGH MUCH OF THE WEEKEND...

A STRONG SPRING STORM WILL ARRIVE THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY AND PRODUCE INCREASING RAIN AND WIND ACROSS SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON AND NORTHWEST OREGON.

THE WARM FRONT WITH THIS SYSTEM WILL SPREAD THE FIRST SURGE OF RAIN ACROSS SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON AND NORTHWEST OREGON THURSDAY NIGHT. THE ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT WILL THEN REMAIN OVER MUCH OF SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON AND NORTHWEST OREGON FRIDAY. THIS WILL PRODUCE MODERATE TO HEAVY AT TIMES ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA THROUGH FRIDAY.

BEST ESTIMATES OF TOTAL RAINFALL FROM TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING ARE FOR 2 TO 5 INCHES ALONG THE COAST...COASTAL MOUNTAINS...AND THE CASCADES. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 0.75 INCHES TO 1.50 INCHES ARE LIKELY FOR OTHER AREAS.

PLAN ON MODERATE TO SHARP RISES FOR SMALL STREAMS AND RIVERS FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT. FLOODING IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. SOME MINOR LANDSLIDES ARE ALREADY BEING REPORTED AROUND THE REGION UNDER SATURATED SOIL CONDITIONS. ADDITIONAL LANDSLIDES ARE NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION...ESPECIALLY AROUND THE COAST RANGE...THE WILLAPA HILLS...NORTH OREGON CASCADES...AND THE COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE LATER FRIDAY.

ADDITIONALLY...SOUTH WINDS WILL INCREASE EARLY FRIDAY. EXPECT SOUTH WINDS OF 15 TO 30 MPH ON THE COAST...WITH GUSTS 40 TO 50 MPH.

STRONGEST WINDS WILL BE ON THE EXPOSED HEADLANDS AND OPEN BEACHES.

BREEZY CONDITIONS CAN BE EXPECTED FARTHER INLAND ON FRIDAY. THE SATURATED SOILS MAY COMBINE WITH LEAFING TREES AND COULD RESULT IN TREE DAMAGE OR TOPPLING...EVEN WITH WIND GUSTS 30 TO 35 MPH.

BEHIND THE COLD FRONT ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON...HEAVIER RAIN WILL SHIFT FURTHER SOUTH AND SNOW LEVELS WILL GRADUALLY LOWER. SIGNIFICANT SNOW DEVELOPS AS THE COLDER AIR ALOFT ARRIVES FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY.

SEVERAL INCHES ARE POSSIBLE AT MAJOR PASS LEVELS IN THE CASCADES BEGINNING FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH THE WEEKEND WITH 1 TO 2 FEET AT HIGHER ELEVATIONS.

CONDITIONS MAY CHANGE AND FORECASTS MAY CHANGE. SO PLEASE...STAY TUNED INTO TO YOUR FAVORITE WEATHER SOURCE FOR THE LATEST FORECASTS AND WARNINGS. THIS WILL NOT BE A GREAT TIME FOR OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES.