Monday, February 28, 2011

New Weather Warnings and Advisories: 2-28-11

A Winter Storm Warning for the higher elevation areas of Columbia County ( Vernonia, Mist, Birkenfeld, Camp Wilkerson, Chapman, etc) has been extended until noon Tuesday. Several more inches are possible this evening and tomorrow morning.
NEW: a Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for the US 30 corridor (St. Helens, Clatskanie, etc.) until noon Tuesday. Light amounts expected in town, but at 500 feet a couple or more inches are possible.
LINKS FOR MORE INFORMATION:
We will try to keep folks updated through our department Twitter feed, which anyone can check: http://twitter.com/columbiacoem .
ODOT State Roads: http://tripcheck.com
--Columbia County Emergency Management
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..WINTER STORM WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON PST TUESDAY FOR
THE WILLAPA HILLS AND THE COAST RANGE OF NORTHWEST OREGON...INCLUDING VERNONIA....
THE WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW AND STRONG WINDS IS NOW
IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON PST TUESDAY.
* TIMING...SNOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH TUESDAY...WITH THE HEAVIEST
TO FALL LATER TONIGHT INTO TUESDAY MORNING.
* SNOW LEVELS...SNOW LEVELS WILL HOVER NEAR 500 FEET THROUGH
TUESDAY MORNING...THEN GRADUALLY RISE TO NEAR 2000 FEET BY LATE
TUESDAY AFTERNOON.
* ACCUMULATIONS...ANOTHER 6 TO 12 INCHES CAN BE EXPECTED OVER THE
HIGHER TERRAIN. BUT IN THE LOWER VALLEYS...EXPECT 2 TO 5 INCHES.
* IMPACTS...TRAVEL INTO AND OVER THE NORTHWEST OREGON COAST RANGE
WILL BE TREACHEROUS THROUGH EARLY TUESDAY AFTERNOON. THE HEAVY
SNOW WILL REDUCE VISIBILITY TO ZERO AT TIMES TONIGHT AND TUESDAY
MORNING.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER
CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF
SNOW ARE FORECAST THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS. ONLY TRAVEL IN
AN EMERGENCY. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL...KEEP AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT...
FOOD...AND WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.
++++++++++++
..WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON PST TUESDAY FOR
THE LOWER COLUMBIA...INCLUDING ST HELENS, CLATSKANIE, RAINIER....
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PORTLAND HAS ISSUED A WINTER
WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON PST
TUESDAY.
* TIMING...RAIN...MIXED WITH OR AS SNOW AT TIMES WILL CONTINUE
TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING.
* ACCUMULATION...TRACE TO 1 INCH OF SNOW IS POSSIBLE...BUT EXPECT 2
TO 4 INCHES ABOVE 500 FEET.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW
WILL CAUSE PRIMARILY TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SNOW
COVERED ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES...AND USE CAUTION WHILE
DRIVING.