Warm weather ends as snow elevations near Portland

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- Winter weather takes aim at parts of the Pacific Northwest Thursday as colder than normal temperatures drop snow elevations. No snow is expected in Portland Thursday, but snow elevations will drop as low as 1,000 ft. Thursday and Friday.

Any snow that will fall near 1,000 ft. will be very wet in nature. That means it will melt on contact as temperatures remain slightly warmer than freezing.

Temperatures will drop nearly 15 degrees in just 24 hours in Portland. That puts daytime highs in the upper 40s Thursday afternoon. On average, Portland should see afternoon highs in the upper 50s. Rainfall amounts will also start to add up Thursday. Willamette Valley locations could near a half inch of rain with the coast closing in at nearly an inch.

Thankfully, temperatures aren't expected to get cold enough to do any type of damage to freshly blooming trees and shrubs this week or weekend.

This comes as lower-than-normal snow elevations are expected to last into the weekend. Warmer temperatures will be slow to work their way back into the region next week with a chance of slightly drier conditions.