Cold, wet weather expected this weekend in La Grande

Dick Mason, The Observer, La Grande, Ore.
·2 min read

Oct. 19—LA GRANDE — Cool, wet, fall-like weather is set to hit Northeast Oregon this weekend after a few more days of near idyllic conditions.

The National Weather Service is projecting that La Grande will have dry and sunny weather through Friday, Oct. 21, with high temperatures ranging from 70 to 76 degrees and lows of dipping down into the low 40s.

"Our temperatures have been about 10 degrees above average the past two or three weeks," said Matt Callihan, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, Pendleton.

Data from the National Weather Service indicates noted that the high on Oct. 18 in La Grande was 79 degrees, breaking the old Oct. 18 record of 77 degrees set in 1977. On Oct. 17, the temperature was 81 degrees, breaking the old mark for that date of 79 degrees in 2015.

The warm weather will abruptly change late Oct. 21 when a weather system from Alaska is projected to arrive in the evening, bringing with it an 80% chance of showers and a low temperature of 33 degrees. The inclement weather will continue on Oct. 22 when showers will be likely. The high temperature on Oct. 22 is projected to be 54 degrees with a low 33 degrees.

Just after midnight on Oct. 23, the snow level will fall from 4,100 feet to 3,600 feet in Union County. Later on Oct. 23 the snow level should rise back to 4,100 feet, according to forecasters. The high temperature forecast for Oct. 23 is 52 degrees and the low is projected to be 34 degrees.

There will be a chance of showers on Oct. 24 when the high temperature is projected to be 52 degrees as a new weather system, weaker than the coming in this week, moves in.

The weather system coming in late this week will push out a ridge of high pressure over the region, one that has been keeping out weather systems for about three weeks. This has kept weather warmer than normal.

This will be part of a storm which meteorologists call a season ender in the transition to wintry fall-like weather.

"Each year we look for a season ending storm, one that knocks the last leaves off trees and leaves a chill in the air," said Ann Adams of the National Weather Service office, Pendleton, noting that this appears to be that storm.

Dick Mason is a reporter with The Observer. Contact him at 541-624-6016 or dmason@lagrandeobserver.com.