Sunshine fades to rain for the start to summer in Portland area

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- Summer sunshine returns on Tuesday for the greater Portland/Vancouver area as the spring season comes to an end this week.

The final few days of spring are expected to be near average and mostly dry for western Oregon and southwest Washington. Tuesday's temperature will warm into the upper 70s and low 80s along the Willamette Valley.

A few early morning rain showers are possible from the coast to the Cascades on Wednesday. Rain accumulation isn't expected to be anything more than a few raindrops to less than a tenth of an inch by Wednesday night.

Temperatures will remain near the average for the middle of June with highs in the mid-70s through the end of spring. Summer starts on Friday.

The first full day of summer, Saturday, June 21 is expected to be much cooler and wet. That's where area rain gauges could be near almost an inch from Friday to Sunday night. The cooler and wet weather will also help snow elevations fall to nearly 4,500' with no real accumulation expected.

The cooler and rainy start to the new season will quickly fade next week. That's when dry skies are expected to return as temperatures warm back into the low to mid-80s.