Medford, Oregon – A powerful midweek storm is set to hit southern Oregon within the next 24 hours, bringing up to 2 inches of rain in lower elevations and more than a foot of snow in the Cascades, creating dangerous travel conditions through Thursday night.
According to the National Weather Service in Medford, the system arrives Wednesday morning with the heaviest rainfall expected by midday and afternoon. Coastal and valley areas including Medford, Grants Pass, and Roseburg could see widespread moderate to heavy rain, while higher terrain faces intense snowfall.
Snow levels will start between 5,000 and 6,000 feet Wednesday afternoon but are expected to drop sharply to near 2,500 feet by Thursday as colder air moves in. Snowfall rates in the Cascades may reach 1 inch per hour, especially near Crater Lake and along key routes like Highway 62 and portions of Interstate 5 at higher elevations.
Travel impacts will increase quickly. Slick roads, reduced visibility, and chain requirements are likely across mountain passes, including Sexton Summit and Siskiyou Summit. Lower elevations may deal with ponding water on roads and localized drainage issues during heavier bursts of rain.
Residents should avoid non-essential mountain travel, check road conditions before departure, and prepare for rapidly changing weather through Thursday night. Additional advisories and possible winter weather alerts are expected as the storm strengthens into midweek.
