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Soaking, windy weekend on tap for western Washington and Oregon


Photo by Mike Warner{br}
Photo by Mike Warner
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PORTLAND, Ore. – Saturday is off to a rainy start in Portland and the precipitation isn’t expected to slow much until Sunday evening.

KATU meteorologist Mary Loos says rain is expected to be heavy at times through about midday Sunday.

Storm totals could add up to well over 2 inches of rain in the Willamette Valley. The Coast range in southwest Washington and northwest Oregon and the Cascade foothills could see even more, possibly up to 8 inches in some spots.

Saturday, the wind picked up at the central Oregon coast, with gusts at Newport before dawn reaching 40 miles per hour.

Expect stronger wind conditions continuing on the central and northern coast as well as the Long beach Peninsula, Willapa Hills and the Coast Range through Saturday afternoon. A high wind warning is in effect through early Sunday morning for most of those areas.

Snow levels are moving to higher elevations in the Cascades, but Saturday morning the levels were low enough for snow to fall at pass level. Willamette and Santiam passes both saw a layer of snow.

A flash flood watch is in effect for most western Washington and Oregon Cascades foothills and the Columbia River Gorge.

Forecasters are most concerned about the possibility of landslides or debris flows over the burn scar areas of the Eagle Creek Fire.

The cold front and heavy rain will more northward into western Washing Saturday night but will drop south again late Saturday night and early Sunday morning, delivering another round of heavy rain to the metro area through about midday Sunday.

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