PENDLETON, Oregon – Gray skies and a stiff west wind sweep across the plateau this morning, scattering drizzle and shaking the last autumn leaves loose from roadside trees. The rain is brief but biting — a Pacific front pushing east before drier, colder air settles over eastern Oregon for the weekend.
According to the National Weather Service in Pendleton, rain will taper by midmorning, leaving behind mostly cloudy skies and gusts that could top 25 mph. Temperatures will climb to the mid-50s before dropping sharply Friday night under clearing skies. The calm, damp air will allow patchy freezing fog to form early Saturday, particularly in sheltered valleys near Hermiston, Umatilla, and Milton-Freewater.
Drivers along I-84 and Highway 395 should watch for reduced visibility and slick bridges through sunrise Saturday. By afternoon, the region will turn mostly sunny, with highs around 56°F and light winds — a brief, pleasant lull before another pattern shift next week.
Sunday continues mild but dry, though lows dip near 30°F, enough for early frost across farmlands and open fields. The start of Veterans Day week brings slightly warmer afternoons near 60°F, but the valley floors could stay chilly into each morning.
Meteorologists say a new system may reach the Pacific Northwest by midweek, signaling the next November “Winter Tease” — colder rain in the lowlands and the potential for light Cascade snow before Thanksgiving travel picks up.
Five-Day Outlook for Pendleton, OR:
Fri: 56/40 – Morning rain; breezy, then clearing.
Sat: 56/31 – Patchy freezing fog; mostly sunny.
Sun: 55/34 – Chilly start; mild and dry.
Mon: 63/33 – Partly sunny; cool morning.
Tue (Veterans Day): 60/36 – Mostly sunny; calm.
