Winter, Travel Alerts for Oregon / Washington Cascades, Coast Range Snow, Sneaker Waves, Flooding

Published 03/13/25 at 12:45 a.m.
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

(Langlois, Oregon) – A wide array of weather alerts for Oregon and south Washington are up right now, just as Oregonians were starting to believe spring had sprung.

Travel issues and beaches hazards are on the menu over the next few days.

Heavy snow is in the Cascades through Saturday night, the Washington and Oregon coastlines are getting hit with sneaker waves, some amount of snow is headed for the Coast Range and Willapa Hills, while the southern Oregon region and its coastline may get flooding.

Ironically, there could be some clearing in the skies for inland areas like Portland on Thursday, which could provide glimpses of the eclipse and Blood Moon.

The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued numerous bulletins or warnings for the Pacific Northwest.

East Slopes of Cascades and Central / South Cascades. Winter storm warnings are issued for areas around Bend, Sunriver, Sisters and La Pine, with heavy snow expected from today into Saturday. Similar warnings are also issued for the central Cascades and Cascades of Lane County and Cascades of Marion and Linn Counties.

Elevations above 4,000 feet will get hit at two different times over those days, with 6 to 12 inches accumulation at first and then the second round bringing 8 to 12 inches. Meanwhile, below 4,000 feet will see 2 to 4 inches. These warnings warnings and watches are also for the Washington Cascades.

“Persons should consider delaying travel if possible,” the NWS said. “If travel is absolutely necessary, drive with extreme caution and be prepared for sudden changes in visibility. Leave plenty of room between you and the motorist ahead of you, and allow extra time to reach your destination.”

- Washington Coast Weather - Oregon Coast Weather  - Inland Oregon Weather

Oregon Coast Range. For the north Oregon coast range, no alerts are issued but the area will see the snow level drop from 1700 feet to 1100 feet Thursday, and down to 1000 feet on Friday morning. Rain in those areas will turn to snow, but it's not expected to be much more than slushy stuff. About half an inch of snow may accumulate, but you should exercise some caution on those roads to and from the beach.

Beach Hazards on N. Oregon Coast / S. Washington Coast Through Thursday. An increased chance of sneaker waves is hitting the region from Florence to Astoria - and up to Westport - right now into late Thursday night.

“Waves can run up significantly farther on a beach than normal, including over rocks and jetties. Sneaker waves can suddenly knock people off of their feet and quickly pull them into the frigid ocean which may lead to serious injury or drowning.”

Razor clammers should beware, the NWS said.

Flood Potential Outlook. In Jackson, Josephine, Douglas, Coos, and Curry counties in Oregon and in Siskiyou County in California. A variety of weather systems on their way to southern Oregon and the south coast are expected to dump a lot of rain, including the towns of Port Orford, Gold Beach, Brookings and Coos Bay.

“River levels are expected to rise, especially for rivers and streams west of the Cascades, Sunday into Monday as heavy rain moves into western portions of the area,” the NWS said. “While forecasts could change as the situation becomes more clear, the most recent river forecast predicts flood stage to be reached by Saturday night on Deer Creek near Roseburg and by Sunday night on the Rogue River near Agness. Other rivers and streams will see large rises that could be dangerous for anyone near the water.”

Oregon Coast Hotels in this area - South Coast Hotels - Oregon Coast Vacation Rentals - Where to eat - Maps - Virtual Tours

MORE PHOTOS BELOW

More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging.....

More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining.....

Andre' GW Hagestedt is editor, owner and primary photographer / videographer of Oregon Coast Beach Connection, an online publication that sees over 1 million pageviews per month. He is also author of several books about the coast.

LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles

Back to Oregon Coast

Contact Advertise on Oregon Coast Beach Connection
All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright © Oregon Coast Beach Connection. Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted