Metro Friday weather: Wind pummels Portland; heavy rain early, then showers

Strong winds and heavy rain slammed Portland early Friday morning as a system sped through the Pacific Northwest and dumped snow in mountains.

Rain should begin to slow to showers by mid-morning, according to the National Weather Service, and winds will begin to die down behind the front. The high will be close to 53 degrees. Thunderstorms are possible after about 4 p.m.

Morning commuters saw ponding on roads and freeways, and some area flooded. Before 6 a.m. the ramp from the Ross Island Bridge to southbound McLoughlin Boulevard was closed, and many locations along Interstate 5 saw standing water.

Wind gusts topped out near 45 mph in some metro areas, but locations on the central Oregon Coast were the hardest hit, with 75 mph recordings taken in Newport. Winds will likely stay strong through the day with gusts of up to 45 mph likely for the Willamette Valley, according to the weather service.

The storm is also bringing heavy snow and strong winds to the Cascades. Accumulations of up to 12 inches are likely for areas above about 3,500 feet. Higher totals are expected at ski resort locations and elevations above 5,000 feet.

Rain showers will likely decrease Friday night with a short break before another system moves in early Saturday. The day will be mostly wet, with rain chances at 90%. The high will be about 48 degrees.

Sunday will feature showers throughout the day and cloudy skies. The high will warm to about 54 degrees. Long-range forecasts call for wet conditions early next week, but temperatures will warm into the mid-50s.

The weather service also warns of extreme high tides, or “king tides,” and sneaker waves for the Oregon Coast this weekend and into next week. Sneaker waves can surge up the beach, traveling much farther inland than normal waves. The weekend’s sneaker wave warning ushers in the first of three extreme high tides events expected Sunday through Tuesday.