FILE - On Jan. 12, 2017, frigid, dry air followed a winter storm that dumped record snowfall on the Portland area earlier in the week. The region is set to experience a similar cold snap in the weekend of Jan. 24-25, 2026.
Bradley W. Parks / OPB
The National Weather Service has issued a cold weather advisory from Southwest Washington all the way down the Willamette Valley for the next couple of days. But the whole Pacific Northwest will be cold this weekend.
Temperatures could drop as low as 20 degrees in some spots west of the Cascades, from Longview down to Corvallis and Eugene.
NWS meteorologist Colby Neuman said it’s going to be even colder east of the Cascades.
“They’re going to see a lot more temperatures in the teens and even some areas, especially down in Deschutes County, Lake County and Klamath County, they’ll see even temperatures in the single digits,” Neuman said.
The cold air is coming down from Canada and settling in the area. The weather service has also issued air stagnation advisories for much of the state through Saturday, meaning people with respiratory problems could experience issues.
Emergency shelters are open in Bend, Eugene and Corvallis.
In Portland, Multnomah County’s year-round shelters, overnight-only shelters, and daytime drop-in centers are available. But temperatures are not forecast to meet the county’s thresholds for opening emergency shelters.
The county’s Homeless Services Department has activated its enhanced street outreach program, which distributes cold-weather supplies like blankets and warm clothes to people experiencing homelessness.
Exposure to the low temperatures could lead to frostbite and hypothermia.
Neuman says the cold weather will be with us for a couple of days.
“(Friday) is looking like the coldest night,” he said. “But the cold air in the valleys, it’ll stay relatively locked in place, so it may not be quite as cold in the coming nights, but it’s still going to be lots of low temperatures in the 20s.”
Anyone seeking shelter can call 211 or visit 211info.org for more information.
