Mostly Sunny Skies And 82 Degrees Expected On 4th.
The latest forecast information from the NWS shows a quiet weather week other than the possibility of thunderstorms (mostly over northern Klamath County) on Tuesday. Otherwise mostly clear skies with highs in the 80’s are expected.
Fourth of July weekend looks to be warm and dry for most of our area. Temperatures will likely be a few degrees above normal for early July. Remember, it’s fire season! Please only use fireworks where it is legal.
Another low pressure system is expected to bring cooler weather, wind, and possible thunderstorms this week Tuesday-Friday. Highs should only be in the 60’s during the cool down for our area. Thunderstorms are possible during this time as instability moves through.
Also, unusually windy conditions are expected on Wednesday here in the local area. Temperatures are then expected to moderate back to normal (for this time of year) by Saturday.
A dry cold front will bring colder air and light winds resulting in frost or freezing conditions.
Klamath Basin- Northern and Eastern Klamath County and Western Lake County- Central and Eastern Lake County- Including the cities of Beatty, Bly, Chemult, Crescent, Gilchrist, and Sprague River 333 AM PDT Thu Jun 20 2019
…FREEZE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 2 AM TO 8 AM PDT FRIDAY… …FROST ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 2 AM TO 8 AM PDT FRIDAY…
The National Weather Service in Medford has issued a Freeze Warning…which is in effect from 2 AM to 8 AM PDT Friday. A Frost Advisory has also been issued. This Frost Advisory is in effect from 2 AM to 8 AM PDT Friday. The Freeze Watch is no longer in effect.
* Freeze warning low temperature…28 to 32 degrees, except some usually colder locations could fall into mid 20s.
* Frost advosory low temperature…32 to 34 degrees.
* Locations in the freeze warning include…Crescent, Chemult, For Rock, Silver Lake, Chiloquin, Sprague River.
* Locations in the frost advisory include…Beatty, Bly and most other valley locations in Klamath and Lake County.
* Impacts…Sensitive vegetation could be damaged or killed by unusually cold weather.
NWS Issues Frost Advisory For Tonight. Heat Wave Is Expected To Begin Building Sunday into Next Week
A heat wave that will put parts of the local region into record temperature territory next week is expected to begin building Sunday. As of posting time, the hottest day looks to be Tuesday with highs in the low 90’s and a disturbance expected Wednesday that could produce thunderstorms. Temperatures are expected to remain warm in the high 80’s with possible cooling thunderstorms in the evenings Wednesday and beyond. Triple digit temperatures are expected in Medford during the heatwave.
Klamath Falls High Temp Records For Next Week: Monday, 96 in 1918; Tuesday, 95 in 1940; Wednesday, 94 in 1933.
We will likely see some heat warnings issued soon for some of our region to address the coming heat wave.
Frost Advisory For Tonight:
…FROST ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 2 AM TO 7 AM PDT SUNDAY…
…FREEZE WARNING HAS EXPIRED…
The National Weather Service in Medford has issued a Frost
Advisory…which is in effect from 2 AM to 7 AM PDT Sunday.
* Frost Advisory Low Temperatures: 33 to 36 degrees.
* Timing…Widespread frost is expected late tonight and into
Sunday morning.
* Locations in the Frost Advisory include: Most valley locations
in Klamath and Lake Counties, as well as in Modoc County and
northeast Siskiyou County. This includes areas in and around
Klamath Falls, Lakeview, Alturas, Summer Lake, Tulelake,
Chiloquin, and Silver Lake.
* Impacts…Sensitive vegetation could be damaged or killed by
frost or sub-freezing weather.
There is a risk of isolated thunderstorms today as increasingly unstable air moves over our area this afternoon. Clearing and sunshine ahead of the next approaching low pressure system will add to the afternoon instability according to the NWS.
It should be noted for anyone venturing into the mountains today, that snow levels have lowered and will be coming down further. Significant, wet snow will continue to fall on Mount Shasta today with the snow level currently near 7kft falling to around 5500 feet. The Mount Shasta Avalanche Center`s Old Ski Bowl station at 7600 feet has recorded 11 inches of new snow in the last 24 hours.
Meanwhile, KMAX is reporting a temperature of 27 degrees Fahrenheit near the top of Mount Ashland, and the ski area webcams indicate some snow mixing in with rain at the base area. Additional accumulations of 1 to 3 inches are expected on Mount Ashland, 3 to 6 inches on Mount Shasta, and lesser north and east of Mount Ashland.
This cold and windy pattern is expected to continue through the weekend and into next week as a series of low pressure systems and fronts move through our local area.
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The above information is provided by Klamath Alerts and information obtained from the NWS Medford.
A Red Flag Warning means that low humidity combined with heat and gusty winds may cause any fires that start to spread rapidly and uncontrollably. Extreme fire behavior is possible, and fires will be difficult to extinguish. Read more
Weather Outlook: Nice Weather Expected Until At Least Thursday
High pressure is building in the region and warming weather is expected into mid week. Forecast models are mixed and somewhat uncertain after Thursday. However, we should see mid 70 degree days until at least Thursday this week when we may have storms to the north and south of the area influence our region with thunderstorms and showers Thursday and Friday afternoon.
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From Last Friday’s Thunderstorm Coverage In Our Breaking News App:
Above: An image captured from Friday’s thunderstorms and shared in our Mighty Networks news community. Photo was captured by Alicia Mckee a Klamath Alerts moderator from our news app. Note: We intended to post this information sooner but needed to first get permission to share the photo here.
Above: A storm radar graphic from our live coverage of last Friday’s thunderstorms. The thunderstorms arrived from the southwest and progressed over Keno and then on to Klamath Falls.
A Message From Klamath County Emergency Management:
The NWS in Medford has updated portions of their storm forecast, to include more rain than originally thought and that the Sprague River will reach minor flood stage at the monitor in Beatty by Tuesday afternoon. It is not a hard and fast rule, but it generally takes another 12 hours for the high water to reach the town of Sprague River, and another 12 hours after that for the high water to reach Chiloquin. Minor flood stage means that the river will be out of its banks, but it’s unlikely as of now that it will affect structures. The situation may change depending on how much rain actually falls.
The river is forecast to crest about one foot lower than the area saw in February 2017. Several structures (barns and outbuildings) were affected in 2017, but no residences were flooded.
There are a few hardware stores in Klamath Falls that have sandbags and sand in stock, if you think you may need them. At this time Klamath County Emergency Management is not furnishing them.
The best thing to do for preparedness is to be aware of the potential hazards. Avoid river edges, as water may be flowing swiftly and may be full of debris. Winds are also forecast to be strong, which may cause water-saturated root systems to down some trees. Do not drive through water, as road surfaces may be washed away and it may be deeper than you think.
Latest Statement From NWS Medford Regarding Storm:
All attention shifts to an atmospheric river (AR) event expected to deliver periods of moderate to heavy rain across the area beginning Saturday night along the coast, then spreading inland west of the Cascades on Sunday…and then across northern California and east of the Cascades Sunday night into Monday. The moisture feed for this event has origins in the tropics and this will take direct aim on our forecast area. Model ensemble IVT (Integrated Water Vapor Transport) is shown to be in the top 1 percent of climatology. This means it is a very wet system for this time of year and could produce rain amounts that challenge records for early April.
We are forecasting a wide area of 4 to 8 inches of rain across Curry County and into portions of western Siskiyou County. Looking back at some of the April records for Brookings, a 2-day rainfall of 7.76 inches was recorded April 13-14, 1937. More recently, just behind that record, is 5.32 inches set on April 6-7, 2015. If the forecast holds, this could be one of the top 5 precipitation events for Brookings for April. Rainfall amounts of 2-5 inches will be common from the coast to the Umpqua Valley and the Cascades, as well as in the Mount Shasta Region. East side areas will have 0.50-1.50 inches of rain with up to 2.50 inches in the mountains. For Medford, the highest 2-day rainfall for April was 1.70 inches set April 12-13, 1912. More recently, Medford had 2-day rainfall of 1.54 inches in April 17-18, 2000. We are forecasting 1.00-1.50 inches of rain here over the 2 days, which would fall in the top 10 for April.
Of course, all this brings the risk of rapid rises on area streams, creeks and rivers and also the threat of slides and debris flows. The uncertainty exists in exactly where the heaviest rain bands will set up and how fast the system moves south and east of the area. Numerous flood watches have been issued and more may be added as we gain confidence in where the heavier bands will set up. Snow levels for this event should be up at 7000-8500 feet, so we`re not anticipating large impacts due to snow. An upper trough offshore will finally give the front a push eastward Monday night, so the heavier precipitation should taper off.
Below: Water Vapor Image Of Approaching Atmospheric River
The latest information from NWS Medford indicates increased concern about flooding. Heaviest rain for local region expected Sunday night into Monday night.
Wet weather will continue this weekend trough at least early next week. The first front is quickly moving east of the Cascades. A brief break in the steady precipitation is expected tonight into Saturday from the Cascades eastward, but another front will bring steadier precipitation back to coastal areas and then the Umpqua by Saturday morning.
Then, an atmospheric river (AR) will take aim on the forecast area Saturday night through Monday. With a source of moisture from near Hawaii, it will feature heavy rain and snow levels above 7000 feet. Snowmelt and increased runoff will result in significant rises to area rivers, streams, and creeks. Models have been consistent in showing the main heavy rain area from Curry County southward into western Siskiyou County with a wetter trend across northern California and portions of the East Side.
As such, small stream and urban flooding is likely in those areas, and main stem river flooding is possible. Forecast graphics below have been updated.
One front is quickly moving east of the area with a break in precipitation for most areas tonight. Another front will arrive at the coast late tonight/Saturday with steadiest precipitation west of the Cascades. That front will set up over the area with low pressure areas riding along it to maintain periods of moderate to heavy rain at the coast Saturday night through Monday.
Heavier precipitation will then push into northern California and east of the Cascades Sunday night through Monday night.
Latest model data have trended wetter across northern California (Shasta Region) and over portions of the East Side late Sunday through Monday. We have added Flood Watches for portions of south-central and SE Siskiyou Counties as well as east of the Cascades.
Snow levels above 7000 feet and heavy rain late Saturday through Monday will result in significant rises to area rivers, streams, and creeks, especially west of the Cascades and in Siskiyou County. There is increasing concern for flooding Saturday night through Monday night.
A few main stem rivers are expected to reach action stage/bankfull, and latest information is showing the Sprague River near Beatty reaching minor flood stage by Tuesday due to a combination of rainfall and snowmelt. We encourage you to keep a close watch on river forecasts, as well as our general forecasts and forecast discussions.
Landslides and debris flows are possible with this event. The Hooskanadan slide area could be particularly vulnerable to this heavy rain event.
Enhanced flash flood threat for wildfire burn scars, including the Klondike and Chetco Bar with peak rainfall rates of 0.50-0.75 of an inch per hour possible late Saturday night through Sunday evening.
Snow impacts will be minimal during the daytime, but there is potential for snow impacts across the high elevation areas like Crater Lake.
Below: Latest radar returns showing passing rain showers ahead of an atmospheric event that is expected later this weekend.
An Atmospheric River event with significant rain is expected this weekend
We have been talking about this developing storm in our breaking news app for a couple of days now. A strong rain storm (Atmospheric River) that has tapped moisture from the Hawaii area is expected to arrive in our area on Saturday. The rain is expected to continue into Monday with several inches expected along the coast and around 1/2 to an inch of rain expected in the Klamath Falls area. Areas of flooding are possible and rivers are expected to rise. The heaviest rain is expected Saturday into Monday. The weather service will be watching for potential land slides and other hazards as we get closer to the weekend.
Above: A forecast model showing an AR event with moisture from Hawaii streaming into our area.
Above: A storm timeline as we head into the weekend.
From the NWS Medford:
An active and wet spring weather pattern continues. One front will approach the forecast area this afternoon and move through on Friday, bringing with it moderate rain and windy conditions to portions of the forecast area.
A brief break in the steady precipitation is expected Friday night into Saturday morning. Then, an atmospheric river (AR) will take aim on the forecast area, and the source of the moisture is near Hawaii, so it will feature heavy rain and snow levels above 7000 feet. Snowmelt and increased runoff will result in significant rises to area rivers, streams, and creeks. Models have trended stronger with this AR, so small stream and urban flooding is likely, and main stem river flooding is possible.
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Stormy Pattern With Rain and High Elevation Snow Expected To Return Wednesday
The high pressure system that has been responsible for our clear skies and warmer days is beginning to break down. A somewhat weak frontal system is expected to pass through Tuesday night (Tuesday should still be a warm day at partly cloudy and 62) into Wednesday followed by a stronger front later in the week around Friday into Saturday that will likely provide rain for the Klamath Falls area and high elevation snow.
From the NWS Medford:
You may be wondering if any of this precipitation will fall as snow in the mountains. Long answer short is…yes. The more nuanced answer is that snow levels will range from about 4000 feet to 6000 feet during the periods of precipitation. 5 to 10 inches of snow are expected in the Cascades, Siskiyous, and high terrain of Siskiyou County above 5000 feet Friday into Saturday.
We hope you enjoyed our taste of spring, we sure did! Hopefully it will return again soon. However, forecast models show an active weather pattern for the near future.
More Snow Followed By Warmer Sunny Weather Into Weekend
The latest forecast information suggests that our region will see another snow storm early Tuesday morning. Right now the storm appears to be more of a high elevation snow maker, but around an inch or two of slushy snow or possibly snow mixed with some rain is possible locally here in Klamath Falls. The storm should begin to impact the area between about 4am or 5am and begin to wind down around 11am according to current forecast data from the NWS.
One thing to consider with this incoming storm is that the snow is expected to fall in a relative short period of time. The higher elevations may see up to 2-4 inches (6-8 inches in higher elevations such as Crater Lake, Diamond Lake Etc) of snow in a short 6-12 hour period of time. The expected snow fall rates could cause travel disruptions on areas of Highway 140 between Klamath Falls and Medford as well as Highway 97 north of town (generally from Modoc Point north).
Above: An aerial image taken in Klamath Falls about 2:45pm yesterday after an unexpected snow storm arrived in the morning hours.
Due to the incoming storm, a winter weather advisory has been issued for the higher elevations of Klamath County.
Areas in purple depict the winter weather advisory currently in effect. Areas of Highway 140 West and Highway 97 North could see travel disruptions early Tuesday morning. Snow is possible late Monday night into Tuesday morning. The precipitation is expected to turn showery in nature in the Tuesday afternoon hours.
Above: Current snowfall forecast for a new snow storm expected Tuesday morning.
Warmer Weather Expected Soon
After the passage of Tuesday’s storm, the NWS Medford expects clearing skies and warmer temperatures into the weekend for our region. We could be looking at a high of 55-60 degrees by Sunday with clear sunny skies.
Winter Weather Advisory issued March 10 at 10:58PM PDT until March 12 at 12:00PM PDT by NWS Medford
…WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 5 AM TO NOON PDT TUESDAY…
* WHAT… Snow expected. Total snow accumulations of 2 to 4 inches.
* WHERE… Northern and Eastern Klamath County and Western Lake County to include Highway 97 mainly from Spring Creek north to Crescent.
* WHEN… From 5 AM to noon PDT Tuesday. The main impacts will mainly be early Tuesday morning.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS… Plan on slippery road conditions. The hazardous conditions could impact the morning commute.
Weather Alert: Moderate To Heavy Snow Possible In Klamath Falls Today
Winter Storm Warning Today
The front that has brought heavy rain and snow to the forecast area has moved south into Northern California and will move back north to bring another round of moderate to heavy snow to areas Tuesday into Wednesday. Precipitation associated with front will push east of the forecast area Wednesday.
The NWS in Medford currently has an internet outage. However they were able to send screen shots of warnings and Klamath Falls is currently under a winter storm warning. About 6-8 inches of wet snow are possible for Klamath Falls today into Wednesday.
Additional Details:
Periods of heavy snow expected east of the Cascades to include Klamath Falls, Lakeview, and Highway 97.
Long duration heavy snow event is likely in portions of Siskiyou County, with highest impacts above 3500 feet. The snow level will be right around Mount Shasta City.
