A Winter Storm Warning continues until 6 PM this evening for the higher elevation areas of Columbia County: Vernonia, Mist, Birkenfeld, Camp Wilkerson, Chapman, etc. Snow expected throughout the day and rain and snow both are expected this week.
--Columbia County Emergency Management
++++++++++++
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORTLAND OR
406 AM PST MON FEB 28 2011
...ANOTHER COLD WINTER STORM HEADING FOR THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST...
.A STORM SYSTEM ORIGINATING IN THE GULF OF ALASKA WILL BRING
HEAVY SNOW TO THE MOUNTAINS OF NORTHWEST OREGON AND SOUTHWEST
WASHINGTON THROUGH THIS EVENING. SNOW HAS ALREADY BEGUN IN THE
MOUNTAINS OF SOUTHERN WASHINGTON AND EXTREME NORTHERN OREGON...
BUT THE PROSPECTS FOR HEAVIER SNOW WILL SPREAD DOWN FROM NORTH TO
SOUTH THROUGHOUT THE DAY TODAY. WHILE THE SNOW LEVEL HAS RISEN
SOMEWHAT AHEAD OF THE FRONT...IT IS EXPECTED TO FALL BACK TO VERY
LOW LEVELS ALONG WITH THE FRONT. WET SNOW IS EVEN POSSIBLE DOWN TO
THE VALLEY FLOOR DURING THE PERIOD OF HEAVIEST PRECIPITATION ALONG
WITH THE FRONT. FOR THE CASCADES...IN ADDITION TO THE HEAVY
SNOW...STRONG WINDS MAY BRING BLIZZARD CONDITIONS WITH NEAR ZERO
VISIBILITY.
INCLUDING THE CITY OF...VERNONIA
406 AM PST MON FEB 28 2011
...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM PST THIS
EVENING FOR THE WILLAPA HILLS AND NORTH OREGON COAST RANGE...
A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW AND STRONG WINDS REMAINS IN
EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM PST THIS EVENING.
* TIMING...THE HEAVIEST PERIOD OF RAIN...SNOW AND WIND WILL SPREAD
SOUTH DURING THE DAY TODAY. THE SNOW LEVEL WILL BECOME LOW
ENOUGH TO AFFECT MOST PASSES BY MIDDAY TODAY.
* SNOW LEVELS...1000 TO 2000 FEET THIS MORNING...LOWEST IN THE
WILLAPA HILLS. SNOW LEVEL WILL LOWER TO 500 TO 1000 FEET DURING
THE DAY TODAY.
* ACCUMULATIONS...6 TO 12 INCHES IN THE WILLAPA HILLS...
HEAVIEST ABOVE 2000 FEET. 9 INCHES TO AS MUCH AS A FOOT AND
A HALF IN THE NORTH OREGON COAST RANGE...HEAVIEST ABOVE 2000
FEET.
* WIND...STRONG SOUTHWEST WINDS MAY CAUSE BLIZZARD CONDITIONS
AT TIMES ESPECIALLY FOR THE PASSES OF THE COAST RANGE. WEST
TO SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 60 MPH ARE
POSSIBLE FOR EXPOSED RIDGES TODAY.
* IMPACTS...TRAVEL THROUGH THE COAST RANGE WILL BE TREACHEROUS
THROUGH MONDAY. AN EXTREMELY HEAVY PERIOD OF SNOW AND STRONG
WINDS IS EXPECTED THIS 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.
