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A little holiday cheer Photo by Bob Pennell Motorists creep across the Interstate 5 overpass as a spirited snowman holds his ground at the Shell gas station on Barnett Road. Station attendant Ken Kantor built the snowman to put a little holiday cheer in his customers' day, he said. Warming foils hope of white Christmas Road conditions Oregon : (800) 977-6368 inside state, (503) 588-2941 outside California : (800) 427-ROAD From wire and staff reports Up to 4 inches of snow was expected across Oregon today, but forecasters say warming temperatures and rain could wash away the chances of a white Christmas. The snow, which was expected to begin at daybreak today before turning into sleet and freezing rain later in the day, could create frightful driving conditions around the state. "If we're faced with freezing rain, we advise everybody that if they don't have to travel, don't," said Mo Dichari with the Oregon Department of Transportation. A winter storm watch has been issued for most of Oregon. The Rogue Valley should have some snow near sunrise today, but not a lot, said Roger Gerig, a technician with the National Weather Service in Medford. It should switch over to rain toward noon; that may start out as freezing rain. All precipitation should be rain by tonight. If you're driving north toward the Willamette Valley, you'll see snow and freezing rain, too, but it should start about five to six hours earlier than in the Rogue Valley, Gerig said. Northbound travelers were expected to see some snow shortly after midnight Wednesday and freezing rain early this morning. Travelers heading south through the Siskiyous can expect snow starting at daybreak today and continuing off and on during the day. The Coast Range could receive as much as 4 inches of snow, while the Cascades could see 6 to 10 inches by Friday. The freezing level in the Cascades will rise to 5,000 feet Saturday. The cold has put a strain on state utilities, prompting occasional outages. Portland General Electric officials say they are in "a state of readiness," and employees are prepared to report for extra duty to handle storm-related problems. Temperatures remained below freezing around the state Wednesday, with overnight lows dipping to 9 degrees below zero in the eastern Oregon town of Meacham, minus 3 in Klamath Falls, 12 degrees in Eugene, 15 degrees in Portland and an icy 5 degrees in suburban Hillsboro. In Medford today, freezing rain may fall before late afternoon, most likely between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. If snow falls early in the day, accumulation should be less than an inch, with the snow level rising to 3,500 feet. On Friday and Saturday, rain is expected, with highs in the mid 40s and lows in the mid 30s. The snow level should rise to 5,000 feet Friday and drop to 4,000 feet Saturday and 3,000 on Sunday, according to the National Weather Service in Medford. Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1998, Medford, Oregon USA