The region will remain under a broad trough Tuesday, bringing cool and breezy conditions before a surge of Pacific moisture arrives Wednesday, delivering mountain snow to interior valleys and higher elevations while temperatures warm back toward normal.
Tuesday will be cool and breezy as a minor upper wave enhances shower development across the mountains of east-central Oregon and west-central Idaho. Mountain snow showers could bring quick accumulations of up to 2 inches in those zones, though the showers will have a small footprint so heavier accumulations will be localized. Southeast Oregon and the Boise Mountains south to the Idaho-Nevada border will remain dry but breezy, with wind gusts of 20 to 40 mph possible across open and elevated terrain.
Wednesday starts off dry and cold with sub-freezing temperatures across the region before a surge of moisture into the Pacific Northwest increases rain and snow chances over Baker County and the west-central Idaho mountains into Wednesday night. Snow levels between 4,000 and 6,000 feet will allow for minor accumulations down to mountain valley floors, including the Long Valley from Cascade to McCall and other interior valleys in the west-central and northern Boise Mountains. Above 6,000 feet, accumulations of 3 to 6 inches are expected across interior mountains through Wednesday night. Southeast Oregon and portions of southwest Idaho from the Snake Plain to the Idaho-Nevada border will remain dry. Temperatures will warm 5 to 15 degrees from Tuesday to Wednesday, putting them back around normal…