In accordance with the forecast, the metro area is experiencing the arrival of cold arctic air, marked by flurries and drizzly spots at noon on Friday. The thin layer of cold air from the north has made its way into the eastern metro area through the Gorge, causing temperatures to drop rapidly. The Vista House, located just east of Troutdale, witnessed a sharp decrease in temperature from 34 to 24 degrees Fahrenheit within the past hour and a half. Additionally, gusts of up to 40 mph have been recorded due to the east wind in the area.

The northern half of the metro area is now frozen, while the southern half continues to hover near 40 degrees. Although flurries have been spotted, it is unlikely that there will be more snow showers for the rest of the day. Radar imagery shows that most snow showers are concentrated in the southern metro area along the advancing arctic front.

As the bitterly cold arctic air continues blasting into the region from the east, the atmosphere is drying out, starting from the metro area and extending northward throughout the night. This drying trend aligns with the forecast of "flurries to one inch." However, caution is advised as there may be icy areas on the roads due to wet spots.

The Portland National Weather Service has upgraded the Winter Storm Watches to warnings across various regions. Tomorrow, the Portland metro area, along with Salem and northward to Longview, is under a Winter Storm Warning. The western Gorge, from Cascade Locks and westward, is under a Blizzard Warning, while the central and southern Willamette Valley is under an Ice Storm Warning. The coastline and lower Columbia River areas are under a Winter Weather Advisory, indicating less severe conditions in those areas.

As the evening progresses, temperatures will continue to plummet while the east wind intensifies. By sunrise, wind chill temperatures are expected to reach around zero in the usual east wind locations. The mercury will bottom out in the upper teens. The models have accurately depicted the intensity of the cold, which is even colder than initially anticipated.

The forecast for tomorrow remains unchanged, with expectations of 1-6 inches of snowfall from Salem through the metro area, extending north to Longview and east through the Gorge. The variability in snow totals is due to the fact that a larger portion of precipitation in the southern half of the metro area will fall as ice pellets and freezing rain. While the levels of precipitation may differ, the overall impact will be similar.

Tomorrow is anticipated to be the coldest and windiest day that Portland has experienced in three decades. The inner and eastern parts of the metro area are likely to remain in the teens temperature-wise, accompanied by strong east winds. The last time Portland did not reach 20 degrees was in December 1990. Power outages are expected in areas prone to strong east winds, and blowing and drifting snow will be a concern. The rest of the region is not expected to experience strong winds, as the localized impact will be mainly in the central and eastern metro area, as well as the Cascades.

During tomorrow, freezing rain and ice pellets are expected to affect the areas south of the metro area, reaching down to Eugene. Thick ice glazing may cause power outages in these regions.

Precipitation is expected to end tomorrow night, leading to a mainly cloudy and cold Sunday. The east wind will gradually ease, mainly affecting the usual spots. However, freezing conditions will persist.

On MLK Day Monday, the east wind will persist in the usual areas, while other regions will rise to freezing temperatures. The snowfall will likely remain on the ground until Monday morning, and most untreated roads in the metro area may still have some snow on them by Tuesday morning.

Despite variations in forecast models, the total precipitation tomorrow is consistent. The difference lies in the type of precipitation—whether it will be snow, freezing rain, or ice pellets—in each specific location. The ECMWF ensemble average snowfall remains unchanged over the past 1.5 days.

Concerns have been raised about the lack of snow in the south metro area and valley. This is due to the expected presence of freezing rain and ice pellets, illustrated in the NAM forecast. A layer of warm air will cause snowflakes to melt into raindrops before refreezing into ice pellets as they reach the ground.

The GRAF model from IBM indicates a mix of snow and ice glazing over Portland, with approximately 3 inches of snow and 1/3 inch of ice glazing during tomorrow afternoon. Meteorologists note that if the forecasted temperatures and winds hold true, this will be the coldest, windiest, and iciest day witnessed in the region.

As the cold winter weather persists, it is essential to take necessary precautions and stay warm. Updates on the weather can be found on local television news broadcasts throughout the day.