Forecast Details for Salem, OR

Recent Locations: Fontana, CA Pasadena, CA Salem, OR

Current Alerts for Salem, OR: Freeze Watch Winter Storm Warning

Today: A chance of rain and thunderstorms, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after noon. Snow level 2000 feet. High near 51. North northeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west southwest in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 18 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Tonight: Showers and thunderstorms likely before 2am, then a slight chance of showers between 2am and 4am. Patchy frost after 4am. Snow level 1700 feet. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly clear, with a low around 36. West wind 5 to 8 mph becoming light and variable after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Thursday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Snow level 1900 feet rising to 3200 feet in the afternoon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 56. South southwest wind 3 to 6 mph.

Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 37. West wind around 6 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 60. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph in the afternoon.

Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 40.

Saturday: A 20 percent chance of rain after 11am. Partly sunny, with a high near 67.

Saturday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 48.

Sunday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 66.

Sunday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 48.

Monday: A chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 70.

Monday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 47.

Tuesday: A slight chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 68.

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Current U.S. National Radar--Current

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National Weather Forecast--Current

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National Weather Forecast for Tomorrow

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North America Water Vapor (Moisture)

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Weather Topic: What is Precipitation?

Home - Education - Precipitation - Precipitation

Next Topic: Rain

Precipitation can refer to many different forms of water that may fall from clouds. Precipitation occurs after a cloud has become saturated to the point where its water particles are more dense than the air below the cloud.

In most cases, precipitation will reach the ground, but it is not uncommon for precipitation to evaporate before it reaches the earth's surface. When precipitation evaporates before it contacts the ground it is called Virga. Graupel, hail, sleet, rain, drizzle, and snow are forms of precipitation, but fog and mist are not considered precipitation because the water vapor which constitutes them isn't dense enough to fall to the ground.

Next Topic: Rain

Weather Topic: What are Shelf Clouds?

Home - Education - Cloud Types - Shelf Clouds

Shelf Clouds Next Topic: Sleet

A shelf cloud is similar to a wall cloud, but forms at the front of a storm cloud, instead of at the rear, where wall clouds form.

A shelf cloud is caused by a series of events set into motion by the advancing storm; first, cool air settles along the ground where precipitation has just fallen. As the cool air is brought in, the warmer air is displaced, and rises above it, because it is less dense. When the warmer air reaches the bottom of the storm cloud, it begins to cool again, and the resulting condensation is a visible shelf cloud.

Next Topic: Sleet