Winter Storm Warning Issued for Josephine and Eastern Curry Counties Through Thursday Morning

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Medford has issued a Winter Storm Warning for areas above 1,500 feet and a Winter Weather Advisory for areas below 1,500 feet. These alerts are in response to a sharp cold front and multiple rounds of precipitation expected to impact the region through late week.

Affected Areas

The warning and advisory cover Eastern Curry County and Josephine County in Oregon. Specific communities and routes include:

• Below 1,500 feet (Advisory): Grants Pass, Wilderville, Merlin, Galice, and Agness, including portions of I-5 and Highway 199.
• Above 1,500 feet (Warning): Cave Junction, Obrien, Selma, and Wolf Creek. This includes Sexton Pass, Smith Hill, and Stage Pass on I-5, Hayes Hill on Highway 199, and Bear Camp Road in the Kalmiopsis Wilderness.

What You Should Do

Residents and travelers are urged to slow down and use caution. If travel is necessary, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency. Before heading out, check the latest road conditions by calling 511 or visiting tripcheck.com.

Expected Conditions

A cold air mass will cause snow levels to drop quickly from 3,000 feet on Monday to between 1,000 and 1,500 feet by early Tuesday morning. While daytime heating may raise snow levels to 2,000–2,500 feet, they will lower again during overnight periods.

Total Snow Accumulations:

• Below 1,500 feet: 2 to 4 inches of wet snow.
• Above 1,500 feet: 4 to 8 inches for passes north of I-5; 6 to 12 inches for the southern Illinois Valley.
• Kalmiopsis Region: Up to 2 feet of snow possible.

Travel may become very difficult to impossible, particularly during the Tuesday morning and evening commutes.

Timeline

The alert is effective from 10:00 PM PST Monday, February 16, through 10:00 AM PST Thursday, February 19. The heaviest snow is anticipated to fall between Monday night and early Tuesday morning.