This morning, the Portland area woke up shrouded in a thick coat of fog, leading the National Weather Service (NWS) to extend a Dense Fog Advisory until 10 AM PST. According to the advisory, visibility was reduced to a quarter mile or less, which persisted well into the morning, affecting various locations, including Inner Portland Metro and North Clark County Lowlands.
Ongoing weather conditions indicate the fog may lift later in the day as winds turn easterly, though, for morning commuters, the fog certainly made for hazardous driving conditions. Everyone is advised to drive cautiously, leaving ample space between vehicles. The mist could freeze on surfaces where the temperature falls below the freezing point, creating slippery conditions on the road. However, the National Weather Service has suggested widespread freezing fog is not expected today.
Following the fog, the NWS forecasts a generally sunny day with temperatures reaching a high near 47 degrees. The calm weather is, however, a precursor to a pattern of wet days ahead. With a 30 percent chance of rain starting Wednesday afternoon increasing to an 80 percent chance by Wednesday night, this rain event introduces a steady beat of precipitation, with estimates suggesting new amounts between a tenth and a quarter of an inch.
Residents should brace for a series of rainy days to follow, as the NWS predicts an 80 percent chance of rain on Thursday, dropping to 70 percent by nightfall; the likelihood of rain persists through the weekend and into early next week, with high temperatures hovering near 47 degrees throughout this period. In preparation for the wet weather, it may be wise for folks to dig out umbrellas and rain boots, as it seems the Pacific Northwest is in for its quintessential damp winter days ahead.
