New year, same rain potential for the Portland area Thursday

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- Overcast skies and rain keeps a tight grip on the Pacific Northwest skies for the start of 2025.

The mostly cloudy conditions will keep temperatures near average with highs in the mid to upper 40s Thursday. Scattered rain showers are expected to move through much of the region Thursday with heavy bouts throughout the evening.

Rain accumulation could stack up to 0.1" to 0.5" around the valley today, with the heaviest amount of rain staying south of Portland through much of the day. Despite the available moisture, snow elevation levels are on the rise as mild air is pushed back into the Pacific Northwest.

Snow elevations are expected to near almost 6,000' Thursday. The warm air will allow for a wintry mix of rain, snow, and ice to develop tonight through Friday morning around Mt. Hood and the Upper Hood River Valley. A Winter Weather Advisory is in place for slick and hazardous road conditions with up to 0.1" to 0.2" of ice accumulation through Friday.

The return of mild temperatures comes as rain intensifies Thursday night into Friday. Soaking rains could make some Portland area rain gauges near 0.75" by the end of the week.

The warmest of the days will put Portland and Vancouver into the low to mid 50s by Sunday. This early January warming trend is the start of a drying pattern for the Pacific Northwest. Above average highs will be paired with mostly cloudy, but dry conditions by the start of next week.