Even as Bend residents made their way to the Deschutes River for some spring shenanigans on Tuesday, a cold front was already making its way down from the Gulf of Alaska. And with it, an arctic air mass that will shift temperatures in Central Oregon from a balmy 75 degrees back down to freezing temperatures.

And Bend residents know what that means, even in April: more snow.

“The daytime heating will keep us a little warm, but tomorrow you will see the impacts of things cooling down,” said Brandon Lawhorn, lead forecaster at the National Weather Service Office in Pendleton.

The drop in temperatures — and the ensuing snow — will begin Wednesday evening as the low drops to 28 degrees, with a mix of snow and rain. By 2 a.m., the mix of precipitation is forecast to solidify, with half an inch of snow accumulation.

Thursday’s high will be around 38 degrees, and flurries are expected to leave an inch of snow throughout the city. At higher elevations, snow accumulation could total 5-10 inches Wednesday through Thursday.

Friday, snow might linger, but temperatures are forecast to warm up to the low to high 40s moving into the weekend.

“It’s not unheard of to get these cold seasons well into spring. Actually, some of the older records from the ‘70s and ‘60s show the last recorded snowfall was mid-April, but it’s certainly not favored,” said Lawhorn, who estimated that Central Oregon sees about one day of snow in April each year.

But just because snow is in the forecast doesn’t mean resident surfers aren’t eager to finally make their way to Bend Whitewater Park to brave the freezing water of the Deschutes River for some fun in the sun. In fact, 26-year-old surfer Tom Gillespie said April is a great time for such activities in Bend.

“There’s always a sweet time in the spring where you can surf and ski, so you get what you get,” he said after a surfing session Tuesday. “It’s been really nice weather lately.”

Gillespie, who has lived in Bend for three years, said surfing at Bend Whitewater Park is what piqued his interest in the sport. He’s been heading out to the coast more often to get some practice, but he is eager to catch some waves on the Deschutes River this spring.

For many of those who surf Bend’s standing wave, this week is the first opportunity to get in the water without damaging their boards. Although not prohibited, surfing during the winter is less popular because the water levels in the river are lower.

In the spring, dam operators upriver increase the flow out of Wickiup Reservoir to increase habitat for the Oregon spotted frog. Over this past weekend, operators steadily increased the flow out of the reservoir into the Deschutes River from 106 cubic feet per second on Saturday to approximately 400 cubic feet per second on Monday. In Bend, the river will continue to rise as more water makes its way downstream, priming the Deschutes for more summer recreation.

Others near Bend Whitewater Park were also taking advantage of the warm weather. Runners lined the Deschutes River Trail and sunbathers lounged on lawns as happy pups waded in the river. This week was a taste of what’s to come, even if the dregs of winter have yet to clear.