The snow must go on - maybe.

Byline: Jim Murez The Register-Guard

CORRECTION (ran Jan. 17, 2007): A story on Page D1 on Tuesday misspelled the name of National Weather Service meteorologist Clinton Rockey.

If you count yourself among the folks who are sick of the wintry weather that's been lingering around, don't look out your window now because it may be snowing. Then again, it may not.

According to Clinton Rocky, meteorologist at the National Weather Service's Portland office, a "wimpy" front is headed Oregon's way from the Pacific Ocean, and how much of the storm sticks together will dictate whether we get: (a) a dusting, (b) some flurries or (c) nothing.

Regardless, because cold temperatures are still around, whatever falls from the sky - if anything - will be snow. And, most likely, it will drop between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. or so, Rocky said. The rest of this afternoon will be cloudy.

"It's hard to say how much is going to make it down to the south valley," Rocky said. "The problem is the cold front offshore is weakening. I don't think we're going to see a whole lot of accumulation - a dusting to a half-inch. It's kind of iffy if it's going to stay together long enough. There is still a risk there; we do have a cold air mass in place."

But Rocky said this storm is not as strong as the one that hit Western Oregon last week, the remnants of which are still covering lawns and hillsides with crusty snow or ice. The incoming storm also isn't strong enough to change the winds blowing through our region, meaning it will stay chilly through the week but gradually warm up.

And despite what folks may think, the current cold snap isn't that rare for the Willamette Valley, Rocky said, adding that the area can count on weather like this several times a year.

"It looks like we're just stuck in a pattern for a while with the temperatures very slowly moderating," he said.

"At least the brutal cold is over," Rocky said, offering something residents more accustomed to 45 and rain can look forward to. The forecast for the remainder of the week is for lows in the mid- to upper 20s overnight, with fog, and highs 40 to 45.