At 3:13 a.m. on Sunday, the National Weather Service issued a cold weather advisory that would last until 10 a.m. for the following areas: the Lower Columbia River, the Tualatin Valley, the West Hills and Chehalem Mountains, the Central Oregon Coast Range, the North Oregon Coast Range Lowlands, the East Portland Metro, the Inner Portland Metro, the Outer Southeast Portland Metro, the West Central Willamette Valley, the East Central Willamette Valley, the Benton County Lowlands, the Linn County Lowlands, the Lane County Cascade foothills, the Marion and Linn counties, and the Lane County Cascade foothills.
“Very cold apparent (‘feels-like’) temperatures as cold as 15-25 degrees,” the weather agency tells us. The Portland/Vancouver metro area may experience temperatures as low as 25 degrees, while other locations may experience temperatures as low as 15 degrees. Temperatures along the Columbia River Gorge that get easterly breezes will be warmer, sometimes above freezing.
According to the weather service, “if unprotected skin is exposed to these temperatures, frostbite and hypothermia will occur.” “To avoid frostbite and/or hypothermia, anyone who intend to go outside should exercise common sense and dress warmly, covering any exposed skin. Be careful when you’re outside. Put on gloves, a hat, and suitable attire.
Understanding cold weather alerts
Warning of cold weather: Exercise caution. When seasonably cold air temperatures or wind chill values—but not exceptionally severe ones—are anticipated or happening, a cold weather advisory is issued. When you and your loved ones go outside, make sure you cover any exposed skin and wear suitable clothing.
Warning: Extreme cold: Act now! When dangerously low air temperatures or wind chill values are predicted or already occurring, an extreme cold warning is issued. Avoid venturing outside if there is an extreme cold warning in effect. Make sure at least one other person is aware of your whereabouts, wear layers if you must go outside, and cover any exposed skin. When you reach your destination safely, update them.
Be ready for extreme cold watch. When extremely low air temperatures or wind chill values are possible, an extreme cold watch is issued. As with a warning, change your plans so that you don’t spend the coldest hours of the day outside. Update your winter survival gear and make sure your car has at least half a tank of gas left.
United Robots offers a service called Advance Local Weather Alerts that gathers the most recent information from the National Weather Service using machine learning.
