Heavy snow expected to fall at higher altitudes
By Bert Etling, Ashland.news
Heavy snow can be expected about 2,500 feet in coming days, the National Weather Service cautions in a winter storm warning issued Tuesday. Effective from 4 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 28, through 10 a.m. Saturday, March 2, the warning covers areas of Jackson, Douglas, Curry, Coos and Josephine counties.
Total snow accumulations of 4 to 8 inches may fall at higher elevations, with up to a foot in the Kalmiopsis wilderness mountains. Winds may gust as high as 50 mph.
Travel could be very difficult to impossible, the warning says, with patchy blowing snow significantly reducing visibility. Gusty winds could bring down tree branches.
As of Tuesday evening, the forecast for Ashland, which sits at just under the 2,000-foot elevation downtown, calls for the most severe weather during the day Thursday.
A chance of rain is forecast for Wednesday, with temperatures dipping to 40 degrees overnight. Thursday will see a high of about 45, with rain turning into rain and snow as the snow level drops. Winds will be in the 10-20 mph range, gusting to as high as 30 mph.
Thursday night, the temperature will drop to 31, with the chance of rain and or snow at 100%.
Friday is expected to see rain and snow showers and a high near 41. A chance of snow remains in the forecast through Tuesday.
The Ashland emergency severe weather shelter at 2200 Ashland St. will open at 5 p.m. Thursday through Saturday nights, closing at 9 a.m. the next morning each day. More information is available in listings on the Ashland.news calendar page.
Email Ashland.news Executive Editor Bert Etling at betling@ashland.news or call or text him at 541-631-1313.
Feb. 28: Updated to reflect the Wednesday evening extension by the NWS of the winter storm warning period to 10 a.m. Saturday (it had expired at 4 a.m. Friday).
