PORTLAND, Ore. – Chances of thunderstorms in the Portland metro area continue to dwindle as temperatures cool Wednesday night.
Portland reached a high of 95 degrees on Wednesday, according to KGW meteorologist Chris McGinness. However, by 7 p.m. the National Weather Service said the temperature had dropped to 85 degrees. In McMinnville, the temperature had already cooled to 65 degrees.
"The cooler air is starting to come in and as that cooler air comes in, I think it will end the storm threat," McGinness said.
He believes there remains a slight chance for thunderstorms until 10 p.m. KGW's radar shows rain is expected to fall in Portland at around that time.
The National Weather Service said it was skeptical of models that showed potential thunderstorms in the Willamette Valley until 11 p.m.
The storms reached the Columbia River Gorge west of Hood River Valley and Stevenson, Washington shortly before 7 p.m.
"Any storms that do pop will be capable of gusty winds, frequent lightning, hail and brief heavy rain,” McGinness said.
The storm has primarily stayed over or near the Cascades. Thunderstorm warnings were issued in some areas just west of the Cascades Wednesday afternoon, including eastern Marion County and Clackamas County.