Snow blankets downtown Bend as Stephanie Paddack of Bend walks by a tree that has been yarn-bombed in a holiday theme Dec. 15 on Minnesota Avenue.

Snow blanketed Bend and higher-elevation areas of Central Oregon on Wednesday, but it may not last long at lower elevations. The National Weather Service reported a chance of snow in Bend continuing into Thursday, followed by temperatures up to 40 degrees, mostly sunny weather on Friday and a chance of rain or snow Friday night and Saturday. Snowfall was heavier in the mountains, with a severe weather hazard on Santiam Pass west of Sisters and a brief closure of U.S. Highway 97 south of Sunriver due to a crash in low visibility conditions due to blowing snow.