Weather Alerts for Oregon

Recent Locations: Reston, VA Eastview, KY Westfir, OR

Current Alerts for Westfir, OR: Extreme Heat Warning

1. Extreme Heat Warning for: Eastern Columbia River Gorge of Oregon; Lower Columbia Basin of Oregon; Foothills of the Northern Blue Mountains of Oregon; Eastern Columbia River Gorge of Washington; Kittitas Valley; Yakima Valley; Lower Columbia Basin of Washington; Foothills of the Blue Mountains of Washington

2. Extreme Heat Warning for: Eastern Curry County and Josephine County; Jackson County

3. Extreme Heat Warning for: John Day Basin; Foothills of the Southern Blue Mountains of Oregon; North Central Oregon; Central Oregon; Simcoe Highlands

4. Extreme Heat Warning for: Tualatin Valley; West Hills and Chehalem Mountains; Inner Portland Metro; East Portland Metro; Outer Southeast Portland Metro; West Central Willamette Valley; East Central Willamette Valley; Benton County Lowlands; Linn County Lowlands; Lane County Lowlands; West Columbia River Gorge of Oregon above 500 ft; West Columbia River Gorge I-84 Corridor; Upper Hood River Valley; Central Columbia River Gorge I-84 Corridor; Clackamas County Cascade Foothills; Cascade Foothills of Marion and Linn Counties; Lane County Cascade Foothills; North Clark County Lowlands; Inner Vancouver Metro; East Clark County Lowlands; West Columbia River Gorge - SR 14; Central Columbia River Gorge - SR 14

5. Fire Weather Watch for: Canyon Grassland of Wallowa County; Kittitas Valley; Lower Columbia Basin; Blue Mountains of Washington; Southeast Washington Grande Ronde Valley; Yakama Alpine District; East Washington South Central Cascade Mountains

6. Fire Weather Watch for: Klamath Basin and the Fremont-Winema National Forest

7. Fire Weather Watch for: Western Rogue Basin including the Illinois Valley; Eastern Rogue Valley

8. Heat Advisory for: Central Douglas County

9. Heat Advisory for: North Oregon Coast Range Lowlands; Central Oregon Coast Range Lowlands; Lower Columbia River; Willapa and Wahkiakum Lowlands; Cowlitz County Lowlands; South Washington Cascade Foothills

10. Red Flag Warning for: John Day Valley; Southern Blue Mountains; Central Mountains of Oregon; Warm Springs Reservation; Northern Deschutes National Forest; Southern Deschutes National Forest

11. Red Flag Warning for: Klamath Basin and the Fremont-Winema National Forest

12. Red Flag Warning for: Western Rogue Basin including the Illinois Valley; Eastern Rogue Valley

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North America Water Vapor (Moisture)

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Weather Topic: What is Sleet?

Home - Education - Precipitation - Sleet

Sleet Next Topic: Snow

Sleet is a form of precipitation in which small ice pellets are the primary components. These ice pellets are smaller and more translucent than hailstones, and harder than graupel. Sleet is caused by specific atmospheric conditions and therefore typically doesn't last for extended periods of time.

The condition which leads to sleet formation requires a warmer body of air to be wedged in between two sub-freezing bodies of air. When snow falls through a warmer layer of air it melts, and as it falls through the next sub-freezing body of air it freezes again, forming ice pellets known as sleet. In some cases, water droplets don't have time to freeze before reaching the surface and the result is freezing rain.

Next Topic: Snow

Weather Topic: What are Stratocumulus Clouds?

Home - Education - Cloud Types - Stratocumulus Clouds

Next Topic: Stratus Clouds

Stratocumulus clouds are similar to altocumulus clouds in their fluffy appearance, but have a slightly darker shade due to their additional mass.

A good way to distinguish the two cloud types is to hold your hand out and measure the size of an individual cloud; if it is the size of your thumb it is generally an altocumulus cloud, if it is the size of your hand it is generally a stratocumulus cloud.

It is uncommon for stratocumulus clouds to produce precipitation, but if they do it is usually a light rain or snow.

Next Topic: Stratus Clouds