Icy roads on local horizon

Residents of McMinnville and vicinity can expect lows to dip into the low 30s and high 20s this week, raising the possibility of  black ice on the roads.

Scattered rain is being forecast for Tuesday, followed by an overnight low around 30, according to Treera Jensen, senior meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Portland. That could result in some treacherous commuting Wednesday morning, she said, explaining, “Any rain that falls will likely turn to black ice.”

In addition, snow levels are expected to drop from 2,000 to 1,500 feet in the Coast Range. As a result, she said, “Anyone coming across the Coast Range could see snow.”

Jensen said temperatures are expected to hover between 44 and 48 Tuesday afternoon. Then the weather is expected to turn chilly.

The temperature is expected to plunge to 30 degrees Tuesday night, Jensen said, and “could dip below 30 in some of the more rural areas, to 27 or so.” What’s more, she said, “It’s not going to get warmer for the rest of the week, dipping to the mid-20s Wednesday night.”

She said Portland is also expected to get some scattered rain Tuesday, but not as much as McMinnville. She said both cities can expect a dry, if chilly, Thanksgiving.

“The cold will stay through the weekend,” she predicted. “But after Wednesday, there should no rain, just cold.”