Document text
35 °F Forecast | Road Cams Sunday, December 5, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend December 4, 2004 It was thick as pea soup on the valley floor until around lunchtime Friday, but anyone just a hundred feet or so higher in elevation escaped the cold and dreary morning to enjoy the sunny skies that later peeked through the murk below. Mail Tribune / Jim Craven A dose of wintry weather on the way By JACK MORAN Mail Tribune The key to a productive Saturday will be getting outside early — a cold and wet storm is expected to roll into the Rogue Valley by afternoon or tonight. Forecasters say a winter-weather system that will strike the region later today is the coldest of several storms Southern Oregon and Northern California residents will see during the next week. "There are a series of them coming our way," said Larry Jacobs, a National Weather Service spokesman in Medford. Jacobs said valley dwellers shouldn’t be surprised if, for the second time in a week, they are greeted by a winter wonderland when they awake on Sunday. "We might see some snow on the valley floor," he said. "It will probably be minimal, not much accumulation." Advertisement It’s a safe bet that anyone in the region living at elevations at or above 2,000 feet will be surrounded by snow by Sunday morning. Jacobs said as much as 5 to 8 inches of white stuff will fall at higher elevations. Nearly all mountain passes, including Sexton Summit in Josephine County, could prove treacherous for motorists. State highway officials are requiring drivers to carry chains or traction tires when traveling over mountain passes. That includes all major highways exiting the Rogue Valley. Another significant storm will move into the region late Monday and Tuesday, bringing with it heavy rain, snow and gusty winds. After a break on Wednesday, a third system is expected to arrive Thursday, Jacobs said. Whether next week’s snowfall will be enough to open Mount Ashland to skiers and snowboarders is not yet known. As of Thursday, the ski area reported about 9 inches of snow near the lodge and 15 inches at the summit. It needs about 3 feet of snow before opening. The average opening day at Mount Ashland is Dec. 10. For more information about winter weather in Southern Oregon and Northern California, visit the NWS’ upgraded Web site at www.weather.gov/Medford . For road conditions, visit the Oregon Department of Transportation site at www.tripcheck.com on the Web or dial 5-1-1 on your phone. Reach reporter Jack Moran at 776-4459, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities