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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Ashland Calendar, Friday, July 10 ... More thunderstorms expected ... Stay out of the creek, officials warn ... Ashland Calendar, Friday, July 10 ... More thunderstorms expected ... Stay out of the creek, officials warn ... VALLEY RAIN, MOUNTAIN SNOW A change in the weather underway Comment By Greg Stiles For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By Greg Stiles For the Tidings Posted Feb. 26, 2015 at 6:24 PM By Greg Stiles For the Tidings Posted Feb. 26, 2015 at 6:24 PM » Social News After more than two weeks of dry, downright balmy weather, two weather systems promise to deliver back-to-back doses of snow to Southern Oregon mountains and rain to the Rogue Valley. A system that moved in from the northwest Thursday brought cooler temperatures, with valley rain and mountain snow expected to continue today. Travelers can expect winter driving conditions up and down Interstate 5 and across the Cascades as well, weather forecasters warn. "Probably all the major passes will be affected," said Michelle Cohen, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Medford. Snow levels are expected to drop to 4,000 to 4,500 feet this morning, with accumulations at the higher pass levels, including the Siskiyou Summit on I-5. After a brief respite Saturday, a second weather front will collide with cold air out of the northeast, causing more rain and snow at even lower elevations. If you have travel plans, be prepared for wintry travel conditions, the weather service said. Accumulations are anticipated to reach 1 to 3 inches on the Siskiyou Summit; 2 to 4 inches at Lake of the Woods on Highway 140; 3 to 6 inches on highways 62, 138 and 230 in the Crater Lake and Diamond Lake areas; and 1 to 3 inches on Highway 97, north of Chiloquin. To the west, however, Highway 199 should see little more than rain. "We've got a low-pressure system ... from the northwest, off of British Columbia," Cohen said. "The moisture gets wrapped in front of it, causing lifting." Mount Ashland, Grizzly Peak and Wagner Butte are expected to get fresh toppings, but that shouldn't be the case for Roxy Ann. "There is a small chance snow levels could be a little lower because of evaporative cooling," Cohen said. There's also a slight chance of a thunderstorm to liven things up, she said. After clearing Saturday afternoon, the second system is due to hit Sunday night, bringing more snow to the region Monday. Snow levels could drop to 3,000 feet before clearing Tuesday. Cohen said accumulation projections for that front weren't yet available. Although the 2.68 inches of rain that has already fallen in Medford during February exceeds the normal 2.01-inch mark, it pales compared to the 4.55 inches recorded last year. The last measurable precipitation of .08 inches fell Feb. 9. Reach reporter Greg Stiles at 541-776-4463 or  [email protected] . Follow him on Twitter at  www.twitter.com/GregMTBusiness , on Facebook at  https://www.facebook.com/greg.stiles.31 , and read his blog at  www.mailtribune.com/Economic Edge .   By Greg Stiles For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By Greg Stiles For the Tidings Posted Feb. 26, 2015 at 6:24 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. DailyTidings.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501