Portland, OR – Western Oregon may enter a cool, wet, and potentially wintry pattern during the Thanksgiving travel window, as long-range federal outlooks point to a near-normal precipitation signal, leaving the region with roughly a 50–50 chance of seeing snow in the mountains and mixed precipitation in elevated foothills from November 23 through November 29.
According to the Climate Prediction Center’s 8–14 Day Outlook released Saturday, Western Oregon sits beneath a developing Pacific trough expected to bring multiple rounds of moisture into the region. While valley temperatures will likely remain too warm for widespread snow, the Cascades and Coast Range foothills could see early-season snow if colder air arrives behind each passing system.
The Portland metro—including Beaverton, Hillsboro, Gresham, and Vancouver, WA—should see cold rain as the primary precipitation type, though a brief mix is possible at the West Hills or higher elevations during overnight hours if colder air presses south.
Farther south, the Willamette Valley—including Salem, Albany, Corvallis, and Eugene—also trends toward rain. Temperatures in these areas are expected to hover in the upper 30s and low 40s during parts of the week, keeping meaningful snow unlikely outside of higher terrain.
The Cascades—including Government Camp, Santiam Pass, and Willamette Pass—carry the strongest chance of accumulating snow. Even a modest storm track could deliver several inches of wet snow, creating hazardous travel conditions on I-84 near Mount Hood and along US-26 and OR-22.
Coastal communities—including Astoria, Newport, Florence, and Coos Bay—will stay firmly in the rain category, though strong winds and heavy bursts of rain may cause occasional slowdowns on US-101.
Thanksgiving week is one of Western Oregon’s busiest for travel, especially along I-5 and mountain passes connecting the valleys to central and eastern Oregon. Snow or slush in the Cascades could significantly slow holiday travel.
Forecasters expect clearer timing and snow-level details early next week as short-range models begin detecting individual Pacific systems.
