When is winter expected to end in the Pacific Northwest?

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- It's already meteorological spring, but winter's kept a tight grip on the Pacific Northwest. Snow and colder-than-average temperatures have made March feel more like January around the Portland-Vancouver metro area.

Typically, March ushers in warmer temperatures as winter rains remain. Portland has already seen the winter rains, but below-average temperatures and even a trace of snow are still making it feel like winter.

On average, Portland's daytime high in March is around 57°F. That doesn't mean the Rose City can't see snow. On average, a total of 0.1" of snow is measured in Portland during the third month of the year and a trace has already been measured this month.

Snow chances typically start to decrease as warmer spring-like temperatures build, but the latest snowfall in Portland was recorded on April 28, 1972. That's when a trace of snow was measured. On average, March is the final month with measurable snowfall in the city.

Snow chances will continue to decrease in the weeks to come, but the threat of freezing temperatures remains. On average, Portland sees its final temperature at or below 32°F by March 25. That's in just three weeks. That doesn't mean our sensitive plants are entirely safe. Portland's latest 32°F temperature was recorded on May 2, 1964. So, the threat of winter-like temperatures takes all the way into May.

Temperatures around Portland this week will remain cooler than average as snow elevations also remain near 1,000 ft. Portlanders can only bank on seeing an average high temperature of 59°F for the final day of March as snow continues to fall in this first full week of the month.