Oregon is in the midst of a historic snow drought. Ski resorts are closed, and the snowpack is so low that there is almost no way the state will be able to reach normal levels by the end of the season.

The National Weather Service is anticipating it could freeze and even snow from the coast to the Cascades.

A jet stream pattern shift could bring big changes to the weather, including some who will see a significant warm up while others may get some welcomed snow.

It cools off next week with a heightened risk (opportunity?) for accumulating snow late Tuesday into Thursday. Possibly enough to shovel and plow, but this far out a snowfall prediction isn’t science. No, winter isn’t over, but I don’t see any polar jabs (subzero highs) into late February.

Snow levels will drop to about 1,000 feet, which could mean snow for the Cascades foothills and the higher elevations around Bellingham.

Abundant sunshine today and Friday, with highs in the upper 40s and 50s. Stronger winds along the Rocky Mountain Front, with gusts up to 50 mph. Further east, wind speeds between 10 and 20 mph.

A series of Pacific storms is poised to deliver a dramatic shift in the West’s weather pattern later this week and into next.

Highs in the 40s are expected next week but one meteorologist cautioned that the warmer temperatures may not totally melt the snow, topped with a layer of sleet and ice, that has blanketed the Island.