PENDLETON — Winter temperatures return to Wallowa County this week, as a cooling trend begins Wednesday, Oct. 27, and widespread freezing can be expected that night, according to a forecast issued by the National Weather Service in Pendleton.

The Weather Service has an 80% confidence that the peaks of the Blue Mountains will see less than 2 inches of snow by Wednesday night.

The service also forecasted a cold air outbreak for the rest of the week, with freeze watches in effect for Thursday morning. It is expected to be the first hard freeze for many lower elevations, the Weather Service predicted.

This comes with a 60-80% confidence in below-freezing temperatures across some areas Thursday morning, with lows reaching down into the mid-20s possible. Colder temperatures also are more than 90% likely Friday and into the weekend, with overnight lows in the teens possible in  high mountain valleys.

Mountain snow in the Eastern Oregon mountains is forecasted Wednesday along with extremely cold temperatures and a hard freeze through the weekend, the Weather Service predicted.

There is a probability of 2-4 inches of snow across Wallowa County, according to the forecast, and a chance of 6-8 inches of snow in the southern mountains of the county.

Below-normal precipitation and temperatures into the teens are expected over the next 10 days, according to the forecast.