Snow possible in Southwest Washington but forecast uncertain

Forecasters are predicting cold and wet weather will descend on Southwest Washington and northwest Oregon this week. But, at this point, how severe the storms will be is still uncertain.

Nasty weather is expected to come in two phases, first Wednesday and then again Thursday and Friday.

“It’s somewhere in the flip of a coin if we’ll see snow” on Wednesday, said Colby Neuman, meteorologist at the National Weather Service. “There is a chance we could end up seeing no precipitation or a few flurries.”

The storm system expected to hit the area Thursday night through Friday could bring a wintery mix of sleet, snow, rain and potentially freezing rain.

Neuman urged residents to keep a close eye on the forecast Tuesday afternoon and evening when the weather service will have a better idea of what the skies will deliver Wednesday.

Inland valleys may see a trace or up to 2 inches of snow from Wednesday through Friday.

Through the end of the week, the Columbia River Gorge could get between 2 and 5 inches of snow. And the Cascades could get between 6 inches and a foot of snow.

The weather service is urging people to be prepared for potentially bad road conditions — and plan for extra travel time.