As expected a mild southerly wind is blowing west of the Cascades this morning and has lifted the snow level up above 1,000′, actually closer to 1,500′. Here’s a good picture from home this morning at 8:45am.
Bottom of pic in the canyon is about 900′ elevation, top of the trees in the distance is around 1,400′. So the sticking snow elevation (the SNOW LEVEL) is up above 1,000′ in this location:
Always remember SOUTH WIND = NO SNOW in the lowest elevations of the Portland Metro Area. Okay, one time out of 10 we’ll get a dusting in this pattern. Or with a really cold airmass coming onshore a couple of inches can fall in the hills in this pattern, but it’s very rare. You either want calm conditions or of course the favored snow pattern with cold air already in place (calm) or pouring in out of the Gorge.
Enjoy your Sunday! The steady rain/snow is about to change to showers and sunbreaks, it should be a much brighter afternoon.
I’ll be back at work this evening and see you on-air at 10pm.
Chief Meteorologist Mark Nelsen
FOX 12 Weather Blog 
Portland will not hit 60° in February. How long will the streak last?
Until July 5th.
It was generally a big no-snow up this way; my original skepticism seems to have been borne out in spades. Lots of 36-degree rain last night.
Ummmm…..sorry Mark but it snowed for at least and hour in Mcminnville this morning. Some of it even stuck to the grass and trees for a few minutes.
But it only dropped to 35 degrees at the coldest. A brief heavy snow or hail shower can turn the ground white even at 38 if you’re lucky.
What happened over my house?
Got down to 34F on my back deck while it was snowing but it went back up to 36F shortly thereafter. It was awesome. I’ll take snow in the air anytime you want to serve it up….even in the middle of August!
Currently snowing… big wet flakes.
There had better be a lovely long summer, after all of this.
We had heavy snow showers(wet non sticking) for about an hour this morning in LO at 500 feet.
Crazy how those heavier showers were trying so hard to drag the snow level down. Heavy wet sloppy snow flakes down to 220′ in Hillsboro this morning, all snow above 500′ in Aloha by Cooper mtn Park. Heading to Atlanta to visit relatives on March 6th-15th. Hoping for some really nice weather and or t-storms!
Hi Mark, Here’s our view in Camas, specifically Livingston Mountain at about 1430′ msl.
Regards,
Paul H. >
4″ at 1430′ up in Camas at 10:00AM. Still snowing. Temp is right at 33.
Snowed here for a couple hours this morning. I live at just under 500′.
starting to snow last 30 min here in Jefferson. OR…240 Ft.
Mark,
I Just wanted to say THANK YOU for being the master of ceremonies at the Glencoe School Auction last night. You did a great job and helped us secure vital funds to help our kids. It was a really fun event as always, and took a true team effort to raise the money needed.
It was great talking with you and your wife, and discussing covert eclipse plans! 🙂
Cheers!
Tim Knecht
Just got back from a quick “snow spotting” tour up to Council Ctest Park in the West Hills @ around 1100′. Snowing hard, sticking and 32′ at that elevation. A different world up there. Just had to embrace perhaps winters last hurrah–at least for the lower elevations!
Snowing and sticking IN Battle Ground, elevation 200ft. Cars, roofs, and lawns turning white. Let’s see how this plays out.
It’s been snowing pretty hard for the last 20-30 minutes at 525 ft in SW PDX (Multnomah Village). Sticking to the roof and grass.
Snowing down to 290 feet in elevation in SW Washington
Snowing real good above 500 feet in Woodland, anout 2 miles E of I-5. About 1/2 inch right now. Been snowing about 25 minutes. (Started 8:40am) Temp 34. Down from 37 when I woke up.