As much as 2 feet of new snow could be blanketing Santiam Pass and Government Camp by later today from a winter storm passing over the Cascades, according to the National Weather

Service.

“Bottom line … This is not the time for travel into or over the Cascades,” stated a winter storm warning issued by the agency Monday afternoon. “If you must travel … plan for extreme winter weather conditions.”

Snow is expected to keep falling in the Central Oregon Cascades into Wednesday morning, making for treacherous driving conditions on the passes.

Despite the heavy snow at high elevations, Bend likely will only see an inch or two of snow, said Joe Solomon, a weather service meteorologist in Pendleton.

“Bend won’t get much,” he said Monday night.

The weather system is coming in from the northwest, Solomon said, and most of the snow should fall around the crest of the Cascades.

Snow was falling Monday night in the mountains and likely won’t let up until Wednesday, said Paul Tolleson , a weather service meteorologist in Portland. “It’s snowing pretty good,” he said.

On Monday, snow covered mountain passes that lead to Central Oregon, said Peter Murphy, spokesman for the Oregon Department of Transportation in Bend. He said anyone with plans for traveling into or out of Central Oregon during the next couple of days should prepare for the

snow.

“You just have to be ready for it,” he said.

ODOT traffic cameras at Santiam Pass on U.S. Highway 20, Government Camp on U.S. Highway 26 and Willamette Pass on state Highway 58 all showed new snowfall Monday.

Murphy said no major wrecks were reported Monday on highways leading into and out

of Central Oregon.

As the amount of snow increases, so do the chances of weather-related traffic delays on the highways, Murphy said. He recommended filling up vehicles with fuel before embarking and loading them with blankets, food and water.

“It is always important for people who are using the pass to be prepared,” Murphy said.

Motorists could also wait for better weather, which could arrive later this week.

Snowfall in the mountains is expected to taper off Wednesday, and the rest of the week should be relatively dry, according to weather service forecasts.

While clouds should hang around Bend on Wednesday and Thursday, and a light chance of rain is in the forecast for both days, Friday should be partly sunny, according to the weather service.

The high temperature Wednesday should reach 46 degrees in Bend and then keep climbing the rest of the week.

High temperatures should be 48 Thursday and 52 Friday. Lows throughout the rest of the week should be in the 20s.

To get road condition updates and view traffic cameras from around the state, go to www.tripcheck.com or call 511.