Freezing Rain Forecast for Oregon as Arctic Blast Threatens Holiday Travel

Oregon will be hit by "freezing rain" over the next couple of days, as an Arctic blast makes its way across the U.S., potentially causing widespread disruption in the runup to Christmas.

Temperatures are forecast to plummet on Wednesday night, potentially to the low teens, with National Weather Service (NWS) hydrologist Andy Bryant warning Portland could record its coldest temperature since 2014.

Thursday will be "bitterly cold in the Portland metro area," according to Mark Nelsen, chief meteorologist at local network Fox 12.

For the day he forecasts: "Gusty east wind and highs of only 25-30. Wind chill down in the single digits and teens all day."

Oregon should be largely dry on Thursday, with Nelsen urging those who need to travel to go on that day "if you have a choice."

Between Thursday evening and Sunday, Nelsen forecasts "several waves of rain." In many areas this is likely to turn into freezing rain, which freezes as soon as it makes contact after landing.

Nelsen wrote: "Expect widespread freezing rain Thursday night and Friday, then more freezing rain Friday night and Saturday in much of the metro/Gorge (only).

"Then by Sunday hopefully just about all areas west of the Cascades will be above freezing and Christmas can proceed (with lots of leftover power outages).

"The Columbia River Gorge will be locked up snow, then ice from Friday through Sunday."

Similarly, the NWS' Weather Prediction Center says to expect "snow, sleet and freezing rain" from late Thursday over northeastern Oregon and western Washington state.

The federal agency added: "This change over to freezing rain is due to a dense arctic air mass remaining in place at the surface while warmer air surges over the region in the upper levels.

"Localized ice accretion of a half inch could create the potential for dangerous travel conditions and scattered power outages."

According to Nelsen, in the "worst case scenario" it will be "hard to move in much of the Portland metro area all of Friday and Saturday with lots of freezing rain and power outages."

Much of the continental U.S. has been told to expect extreme Arctic weather, with the NWS forecasting "blizzard conditions" for the Great Lakes and Midwest, which could result in a powerful "bomb cyclone."

Speaking to Newsweek, Professor Esther Mullens, who teaches atmospheric science at the University of Florida, said: "Bomb cyclones refer to a more exceptional type of extratropical—or midlatitude—cyclone that is associated with a rapid drop in pressure. The typical criteria is 24 millibars in 24 hours."

California-based meteorologist Colin McCarthy tweeted: "Can't overstate how dangerous this arctic blast will be for millions across the US.

"Take, for example, eastern Wyoming, where wind chills will be as low as -70°F. This is cold enough to cause frostbite in 4 minutes!"

Northern Texas will also be hit hard by the Arctic blast, raising fears about the state power grid which partially collapsed in February 2021 leaving millions without power.