Winter Blast Targets Cascades: Dangerous Conditions Forecast on I-84 and US-20

Pendleton, OR — The National Weather Service office in Pendleton has issued several Winter Weather Advisories for the Oregon and Washington Cascades and the Blue Mountains, cautioning residents and travelers about heavy mountain snow, strong winds, and hazardous travel from Saturday night through Monday morning.

Snow is anticipated to first develop along the east slopes of the Oregon Cascades around 8 p.m. Saturday, push into the upper slopes of the eastern Washington Cascades later in the evening, and reach the northern Blue Mountains by Sunday morning.

Forecasters project 6 to 10 inches of accumulation above 4,000 to 4,500 feet, with locally higher totals possible near Sisters, La Pine, and Mount Hood. Wind gusts could approach 50 mph, producing blowing and drifting snow and occasional whiteout conditions.

Travel could turn treacherous on I-84, US-20, and over mountain passes such as Snoqualmie and Tollgate, with the worst conditions most likely from Sunday into early Monday. Drivers should slow down, check current road reports at tripcheck.com (Oregon) or wsdot.wa.gov (Washington), and be prepared for delays.

This event represents one of the season’s first widespread winter weather systems impacting the Pacific Northwest mountains.