textproduct: Medford

UPDATE

Aviation Discussion updated.

AVIATION...25/06Z TAFS

Scattered showers will continue into Wednesday morning. Coastal areas and and most inland areas are expected to see MVFR to IFR ceilings overnight and into Wednesday morning. Patchy fog or low stratus with LIFR may develop as well late tonight and early Wedensday morning, especially in the Umpqua Valley. Low clouds and patchy fog is expected to lift late Wednesday morning and early Wednesday afternoon, with conditions becoming VFR.

PREV DISCUSSION

/Issued 230 PM PST Tue Feb 24 2026/

DISCUSSION...The main belt of precipitation within this Pineapple Express is slowly working its way south, with the back end of the steady rain currently lying roughly along a line from Crater Lake to Cave Junction. Areas to the west and north of this line have transitioned to more showery, lighter precipitation, while steady moderate to heavy rain continues to the south and east. There have been some impressive rainfall totals over the last 24 hours, with Medford now over 1.25 inches since yesterday, areas in the southern Illinois Valley near O'brien and across western Siskiyou County receiving between 2 and 4 inches, and areas along the coast receiving 4 to 5 inches. As rain is ongoing, overall storm totals are not yet finalized, but already it looks as if several stations will be at or near daily record rainfall amounts.

Several flood products are in effect, although some have been allowed to expire. First, a Flood Warning has been issued for the Coquille River at Coquille, which as of this writing is just below flood stage, and expected to hit minor flood shortly. A Flood Watch remains in effect for the South Fork Coquille at Myrtle Point, which is expected to remain below flood stage, but may get very close. An areal Flood Watch remains in effect for Curry, Josephine, Jackson, and western/central Siskiyou counties, where rain continues at this time, but has been expired for Coos and Douglas as the rain has moved out of those area and no areal or small stream flooding has been reported. Creeks and streams are still expected to run high for the next 24 hours or so as runoff continues to work its way through the system.

This main belt of moisture pushes off to the south later today, with showers then continuing through tonight and into Wednesday morning as onshore flow persists, but any additional amounts by this time will be light. Snow levels that have peaked as high as 9000 feet last night and today will lower to about 3000 to 4000 ft Wednesday as the front passes and showers taper off, so some light snow is possible at elevation, but no significant winter impacts are expected.

Upper level ridging returns to the area for the latter half of the week, with dry and warmer conditions expected Thursday and Friday, and potentially into Saturday. Area valleys, however, will likely see strong inversions with fog and low clouds overnight and into the mornings, especially west of the Cascades.

Models are continuing to show a warm front passing through the area Saturday, with widespread overrunning leading to broad areas of light precipitation Saturday into Sunday as the surface low approaches the area but fizzles out. Any rainfall amounts from this weak system will be very light, and with snow levels rising again to well above 6000 or even 7000 feet, winter impacts are not expected.

High pressure then returns in full force for early next week, with warming temperatures and dry conditions.

MARINE...Updated 200 PM PST Tuesday, February 24, 2026...Southerly swell continues to ease this evening but steep seas continue in all waters through tonight. A brief period of below advisory seas is forecast from early Wednesday morning into Wednesday evening, when northerly winds will build steep seas south of Cape Blanco into early Thursday morning.

Below advisory seas are expected from Thursday morning into Friday afternoon. On Friday, a combination of increasing swell and gusty winds (both northerly) looks to develop in area waters. This would build some level of unsettled seas, generally steep but with areas of very steep seas possible. These unsettled conditions could last into the weekend. -TAD

MFR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

OR...Flood Watch through Wednesday evening for ORZ022-024-026.

CA...Flood Watch through Wednesday evening for CAZ080-081.

PACIFIC COASTAL WATERS...Small Craft Advisory until 10 PM PST this evening for PZZ350-356-370-376.