Cold temperatures and slushy rain are returning to Vancouver after a week of unseasonably warm and occasionally record-breaking temperatures.
The National Weather Service in Portland predicts a mix of snow and rain that will continue into mid or late Saturday, followed by a dry cold front will bring east winds into the area, said Liana Ramirez, a meteorologist.
“It will be cold through the weekend and into next week,” Ramirez said. “But seasonally, it’s right around normal.”
Drivers should be wary of slick, wet roads throughout the day Saturday, she said.
Saturday night could see a low of about 25 degrees, with Sunday night reaching around 27 degrees, with daytime highs in the mid to upper 30s.
Rainy weather will return by mid week after what’s expected to be a relatively dry Sunday and Monday, Ramirez added.
“After that we’ll be back to rain and temperatures in the low to mid 40s,” Ramirez said.
The cold snap won’t be the first time this year that temperatures have dipped below freezing. The first below-freezing night was Nov. 15-16, when it hit 19 degrees at Pearson Field.
“It’s not the first and it won’t be the last,” Ramirez said.
The late November warm spell broke several records in the area, she added.
On Nov. 25, the Pearson Field Airport recorded a high of 63 degrees, breaking a record of 62 degrees set in 1998. And on Nov. 26, the airport recorded a high of 62 degrees, breaking a record of 60 degrees set in 1950.
The week also saw some warm low-temperature records fall, with 54 degree overnight temperatures on the 25th tying a 1999 record and 54 degrees on the 27th beating the overnight warm low temperature record of 52 degrees set in 1949.
“That’s a lot of good records right there that fell this past week,” Ramirez said.
