Weathergeddon 2012: Batten down yer hatches

Carla Axtman

Well Old Man Winter, it's about damn time you showed up. I loved the sunny weather--but I knew you'd get here eventually. That's just how you are.

If you're on the coast it's gonna get wild and wooly.

John Tierney, KATU:

The Oregon Coast is set to get battered by high winds when the storm system comes onshore early Wednesday morning.

The National Weather Service issued a “hurricane force wind warning” for the ocean off the central coast. Forecasters think sustained winds could be as strong as 60 miles per hour with gusts up to 86 miles per hour.

Onshore, most of the coast is under a “high wind warning” through Wednesday afternoon. Beaches and headlands could also see wind gusts in the 80s, forecasters said.

If you're in the Portland Metro area, it's metric craploads of snow.

Noelle Crombie, The Oregonian:

Shawn Weagle, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, says the West Hills – and areas higher than 500 feet – could get up to four inches of snow by day’s end.

But Wednesday? Well, that’s a different story.

Weagle and his colleagues at the National Weather Service are keeping a close eye on what they’re calling a “significant winter weather event” expected to sweep through the Pacific Northwest starting this evening. But even now, hours before the storm’s arrival, meteorologists aren’t sure whether the storm will be mostly wet or mostly white.

“If the system moves as little as 20 to 30 miles to the north, it could be mostly rain,” he said. “If it tracks further south, it will be mostly snow.”

Regardless, Weagle said, “there’s a pretty good chance that most of the metro area will see at least a couple inches of snow.”

He said the storm’s target is the east metro area and Clark County.

The Eugene area is looking at 2-4 inches of snow overnight, too.

The Bend Bulletin is behind a firewall, so I can't get to their report. Any Bendites wanna weigh in? And what about other points east and further south?

By Carla Axtman Jan. 17, 2012