Portland is waking up on the gray side, with cloudy and cool conditions hanging over the city and temperatures near 50°F at Portland International Airport. A stubborn deck of low clouds is camped out over the Willamette Valley, so expect mostly cloudy skies through late morning before the lid finally starts to lift. By later this afternoon, sunshine should take over and kick off a brighter stretch. Light west winds will keep most neighborhoods calm for the commute.
Afternoon Sun And A Quick Warm-Up
Clouds should thin out this afternoon and open the door for a quick warm-up later in the week, with highs forecast near 64°F today, around 72°F on Wednesday and into the upper 70s on Thursday. Forecasters put the odds of hitting 80°F on Thursday at about 50–70% for the Portland–Vancouver metro. Guidance also shows a better-than-90% chance that parts of the I-5 corridor will climb past 80°F on Sunday. According to the National Weather Service, the overall pattern stays dry and sunnier through the weekend, although river waters remain cold and coastal waters could see rougher swells by midweek.
Gorge Gusts, Marine Heads-Up And River Safety
Winds will be light across most of the metro today, roughly 1–5 mph from the west, but the Columbia River Gorge and Upper Hood River Valley will be a different story. Gusts up to 25–30 mph are possible there this afternoon, which can rattle high-profile vehicles and make things choppy for cyclists. Along the coast and offshore, swells of 6–8 feet combined with northwest winds may bring isolated small-craft gusts in the middle of the week and a moderate sneaker-wave risk, so beachgoers and razor-clam diggers should stay alert. Rivers look calm on the surface but remain risky for recreation because water temperatures are still cold. If you are getting in or near rivers this week, wear a life jacket and be prepared for the shock of sudden cold water.
Plan Ahead
If you are locking in weekend plans, go ahead and pack sunscreen and plenty of water for a likely Sunday afternoon heat spike, while keeping in mind that overnight lows will still dip into the upper 40s. For more on the broader warm-up and recent river advisories, see our earlier update on river warnings fading and temps climbing.
