More wet weather is coming - News - DailyTidings.com - Ashland, OR

Ashland Daily Tidings (Ashland, OR — Wayback)

2017-01-18

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More wet weather is coming Rain drops cling to a window pane. Tidings file photo Monday Jan 16, 2017 at 7:43 PM Jan 16, 2017 at 7:44 PM By Ryan Pfeil For the Tidings Wet, windy weather appears to be on its way back to southwest Oregon this week. A storm, expected to arrive late Tuesday on the Oregon Coast, is forecast to reach the Rogue Valley early Wednesday and drop about a half-inch of rain on Medford and Ashland by nightfall, according to the National Weather Service. Grants Pass is expected to get hit harder, with nearly 1½ inches forecast by Wednesday night. More than 3 inches of rain is expected in Cave Junction, while Brookings is expected to get hammered by nearly 5½ inches, according to a Weather Service news release. Rain could also fall at higher elevations, including Mount Ashland, later today and tonight, but is expected to turn to snow, heavy at times, by Wednesday morning. The Mt. Ashland Ski Ara, which is closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays, could see 6 to 12 inches of new snow. Snow is expected to fall on upper elevation roads Wednesday, with about 2 inches forecast for the Siskiyou Summit and Dead Indian Memorial Road. Crater Lake could see up to 11 inches, while Diamond Lake could see up to 8 inches. The heaviest period of precipitation is expected to be Wednesday, weather officials said, but wet weather is in the forecast through Sunday. "The latest rainfall forecasts are not expected to produce widespread flooding," a Weather Service advisory said. "However, with snow still on the ground in several locations and already-saturated soils, some minor flooding is still possible, especially along area creeks and streams. Area snowpack, including water content and melt rate, continues to be a major source of uncertainty." The Rogue River is forecast to peak just under flood stage — 17 feet — at Agness near the coast, by Thursday, according to the Northwest River Forecast Center. At the old Gold Ray Dam site, the water is expected to peak at about 7½ feet Thursday, more than 4 feet below flood stage. Near Eagle Point, the Rogue is forecast to peak just under 7 feet Thursday, more than 3 feet below flood stage. Winds are forecast to peak Wednesday morning, with gusts up to 45 mph for Ashland and 26 mph for Medford. A wind advisory will be in effect from 10 p.m. Tuesday to 10 p.m. Wednesday. — Reach reporter Ryan Pfeil at 541-776-4468 or [email protected]. Follow him at www.twitter.com/ryanpfeil.