Brief periods of snow will transform into soggy, rainy conditons, broken up by intermittent sunshine Monday, as Old Man Winter slowly weakers his grip on the Northwest.

As the sun came up Monday morning, snow was already making an appearance in downtown Portland, albeit brief. Drivers were warned to watch for patches of ice. At higher elevations, like Sandy, the snow was heavier and lasted longer.

"There is light at the end of the tunnel, and it's not an ODOT deicing truck," said KGW Meteorologist Dave Salesky. "Warmer weather will start returning by Tuesday, as a matter of fact most of this week will be dry with temperatures actually at or above normal."

Spring breakers who stayed in the Portland and Vancouver Metro areas weren't exactly running around in shorts but they will certainly have something to talk about when they return to class.

By Jon Cottrell/kgw.com viewer

kgw.com viewer Jon Cottrell snapped this photo of dime-sized hail on Sunday in Milwaukie, Oregon.

Snow fell in elevations as low as 500 feet Sunday. That included the Oregon Zoo where employees were wearing flower leis and decorations painted a picture of an island getaway but all the visitors were bundled up in hats and winter coats.

late Sunday afternoon and maybe even Monday, too.

"By Tuesday this wild pattern will break down, and so some sunshine will return, along with some more mild temperatures. In fact, 60-degree temperatures could be back by Thursday," KGW Meteorologist Joe Michaels said.

Some drivers experienced black ice on the roads as well on Sunday morning, after overnight temperatures dipped below freezing.

According to the National Weather Service, this weekend's snow marks the latest snowfall on record at the Portland International Airport. Back in 1951, a light skiff of snow fell on March 10th and that same year, on March 8, about an inch of snow fell. If you look at Portland overall in the record books, and not just the airport, NWS records show that snow fell in the city as late as April 13 in 1933. A total of 11.6 inches of snow fell on that day.

Portland transportation crews have been applying de-icing chemicals in the hills to keep roads as safe as possible. Crews said they will monitor conditions around the city over the weekend and respond accordingly.

The National Weather Service also issued a snow advisory for both the Coast Range and the Cascades.

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Snow in Portland

Hwy. 101 closed because of snow

Oregon Coast snow

Snow earlier in the week

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The Oregon Coast was also hit by heavy snowfall Friday, creating some dangerous driving conditions. Snow and downed trees were causing hazards on U.S. 101 between mileposts 100 – 104, north of Lincoln City, so officials closed that stretch of roadway.

They also closed Oregon 18 at milepost 21 and delays due to icy conditions were also being reported from milepost 7 to 18 as well as on U.S. 26 between mileposts 11 and 21.

"Crews will continue to plow and sand, however persisting precipitation is hindering the road clearing efforts. Major highways from the Willamette Valley to the coast require drivers to carry chains at this time. If travel cannot be delayed or avoided, please carry chains or use traction tires," a press release warned.

Wacky Spring snow started on Wednesday

A light skiff of snow fell near the Oregon Zoo Wednesday afternoon, getting spring-breakers all excited about the unseasonable surprise.

Thursday's first flakes in Portland fell around 5 a.m. in the West Hills, but did not stick. Most drivers were already going slower than usual, due to fog, but no black ice was reported. About 6:30 a.m., snow began to fall in the Sylvan Hill area and swept across the West Hills once again and into Southeast Portland as well. This time, some of it was sticking.

Temperatures were in the 30s throughout the Portland area Thursday morning, much lower than the average this time of year.

In Tillamook, there were reports of several accidents and cars off the roads because of icy conditions. Police warned drivers to stay off Hwy.6, also known as the Wilson River Highway, and the summit was even closed for a couple hours Thursday after several vehicles slid on ice and crashes.

Donovan predicted that residents in the Portland Metro area will see a drying trend starting on Sunday and continueing through at last Wednesday.