Pendleton, Oregon – New long-range federal climate guidance suggests February 2026 could bring above-normal snowfall across eastern Oregon, increasing the likelihood of sustained winter weather impacts east of the Cascades.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center (CPC), eastern Oregon is included in a broad corridor of elevated snowfall probabilities stretching across the interior Pacific Northwest and northern Rockies. The outlook points to a higher chance of more frequent or longer-duration snow events compared to typical February conditions.
Areas east of the Cascade Range, including the Blue Mountains, Columbia Plateau, and high desert regions, show a stronger signal for increased snowfall potential than western Oregon. Mountain passes and higher-elevation communities are particularly favored for repeated accumulating snow events during the month.
CPC monthly outlooks do not provide specific snowfall totals or storm timing. Instead, they assess how total snowfall during the month may compare to long-term averages. For February 2026, the guidance suggests cumulative snowfall or the number of snow events could exceed normal levels across much of eastern Oregon.
Temperature outlooks for February indicate near-normal to below-normal conditions across eastern portions of the state. This temperature profile supports snow rather than rain or mixed precipitation during most systems and increases the likelihood of persistent snow cover, icy road conditions, and periodic travel disruptions.
Neighboring regions including Washington, Idaho, Montana, and northern California are also included in the above-normal snowfall zone, reinforcing confidence in a large-scale winter pattern rather than isolated systems.
Motorists, agricultural operators, freight carriers, and rural communities across eastern Oregon are encouraged to monitor updated forecasts as February approaches, when outlooks are refined and confidence increases closer to the season.
