Next 7 departures
- SatOct 3
CautionNear 93°F near Redding around 2 PM PDT. Also at 2 other checkpoints.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Portland7 AM PDT Partly sunny57°F Salem7:45 AM PDT Partly sunny55°F Eugene8:45 AM PDT Patchy fog52°F Roseburg10 AM PDT Partly sunny56°F Grants Pass11 AM PDT Sunny70°F Siskiyou Summit12 PM PDT Sunny67°F Black Butte Summit1 PM PDT Mostly sunny79°F Redding2 PM PDT Mostly sunny93°F Willows3 PM PDT Sunny94°F Sacramento4:30 PM PDT Sunny98°F - SunOct 4
CautionNear 93°F near Redding around 2 PM PDT. Also at 2 other checkpoints.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Portland7 AM PDT Mostly sunny56°F Salem7:45 AM PDT Mostly sunny55°F Eugene8:45 AM PDT Partly sunny53°F Roseburg10 AM PDT Mostly sunny59°F Grants Pass11 AM PDT Mostly sunny73°F Siskiyou Summit12 PM PDT Mostly sunny68°F Black Butte Summit1 PM PDT Mostly sunny80°F Redding2 PM PDT Partly sunny93°F Willows3 PM PDT Partly sunny93°F Sacramento4:30 PM PDT Partly sunny95°F - MonOct 5
CautionNear 95°F near Redding around 2 PM PDT. Also at 2 other checkpoints.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Portland7 AM PDT Partly sunny58°F Salem7:45 AM PDT Partly sunny56°F Eugene8:45 AM PDT Partly sunny56°F Roseburg10 AM PDT Partly sunny61°F Grants Pass11 AM PDT Sunny75°F Siskiyou Summit12 PM PDT Sunny70°F Black Butte Summit1 PM PDT Sunny79°F Redding2 PM PDT Sunny95°F Willows3 PM PDT Sunny96°F Sacramento4:30 PM PDT Sunny100°F - TueOct 6
CautionNear 98°F near Redding around 2 PM PDT. Also at 2 other checkpoints.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Portland7 AM PDT Partly sunny56°F Salem7:45 AM PDT Mostly sunny54°F Eugene8:45 AM PDT Mostly sunny53°F Roseburg10 AM PDT Mostly sunny58°F Grants Pass11 AM PDT Sunny75°F Siskiyou Summit12 PM PDT Sunny70°F Black Butte Summit1 PM PDT Sunny81°F Redding2 PM PDT Sunny98°F Willows3 PM PDT Sunny98°F Sacramento4:30 PM PDT Sunny100°F - WedOct 7
CautionNear 98°F near Redding around 2 PM PDT. Also at 2 other checkpoints.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Portland7 AM PDT Mostly sunny53°F Salem7:45 AM PDT Mostly sunny51°F Eugene8:45 AM PDT Mostly sunny51°F Roseburg10 AM PDT Sunny57°F Grants Pass11 AM PDT Sunny75°F Siskiyou Summit12 PM PDT Sunny70°F Black Butte Summit1 PM PDT Sunny81°F Redding2 PM PDT Sunny98°F Willows3 PM PDT Sunny97°F Sacramento4:30 PM PDT Sunny99°F - ThuOct 8
CautionNear 96°F near Redding around 2 PM PDT. Also at 2 other checkpoints.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Portland7 AM PDT Mostly sunny55°F Salem7:45 AM PDT Sunny54°F Eugene8:45 AM PDT Mostly sunny54°F Roseburg10 AM PDT Sunny60°F Grants Pass11 AM PDT Sunny76°F Siskiyou Summit12 PM PDT Sunny69°F Black Butte Summit1 PM PDT Sunny80°F Redding2 PM PDT Sunny96°F Willows3 PM PDT Sunny95°F Sacramento4:30 PM PDT Sunny97°F - FriOct 9
CautionNear 91°F near Redding around 2 PM PDT. Also at 2 other checkpoints.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Portland7 AM PDT Partly sunny55°F Salem7:45 AM PDT Mostly sunny53°F Eugene8:45 AM PDT Mostly sunny54°F Roseburg10 AM PDT Mostly sunny59°F Grants Pass11 AM PDT Mostly sunny72°F Siskiyou Summit12 PM PDT Sunny64°F Black Butte Summit1 PM PDT Sunny76°F Redding2 PM PDT Mostly sunny91°F Willows3 PM PDT Mostly sunny91°F Sacramento4:30 PM PDT Mostly sunny91°F
The worst conditions expected at any checkpoint, timed to when you would reach it driving without stops. Levels use Road Travel’s driving-risk scale.
The route, stop by stop
Checkpoints in order, with driving time from Portland (no stops) and elevation. The forecast above is timed to these.
- Portland, ORStart 34 ftelevation
- Salem, ORMile 46 · 49 min 159 ftelevation
- Eugene, ORMile 108 · 1 h 51 min 424 ftelevation
- Roseburg, ORMile 177 · 2 h 58 min 481 ftelevation
- Grants Pass, ORMile 244 · 4 h 5 min 942 ftelevation
- Siskiyou Summit, ORMountain pass · Mile 297 · 4 h 58 min 4,310 ftelevation
- Black Butte Summit, CAMountain pass · Mile 356 · 5 h 54 min 3,912 ftelevation
- Redding, CAMile 419 · 6 h 56 min 564 ftelevation
- Willows, CAMile 495 · 8 h 4 min 136 ftelevation
- Sacramento, CAMile 579 · 9 h 23 min 29 ftelevation
Typical weather by month
Average daily highs and lows, and days with an inch or more of snow, at Portland, Grants Pass and Sacramento.
| Month | Portland 19 ft | Grants Pass 932 ft | Sacramento 38 ft | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High / low °F | Snow days | High / low °F | Snow days | High / low °F | Snow days | |
| Jan | 48° / 36° | 0.6 | 48° / 35° | 0.2 | 57° / 41° | 0 |
| Feb | 52° / 37° | 0.3 | 54° / 36° | 0.1 | 62° / 44° | 0 |
| Mar | 57° / 40° | 0 | 60° / 37° | 0.1 | 68° / 47° | 0 |
| Apr | 62° / 44° | 0 | 65° / 40° | 0 | 74° / 49° | 0 |
| May | 69° / 49° | 0 | 74° / 46° | 0 | 81° / 54° | 0 |
| Jun | 74° / 54° | 0 | 81° / 51° | 0 | 89° / 59° | 0 |
| Jul | 82° / 59° | 0 | 91° / 56° | 0 | 94° / 61° | 0 |
| Aug | 82° / 59° | 0 | 91° / 55° | 0 | 94° / 61° | 0 |
| Sep | 77° / 54° | 0 | 84° / 48° | 0 | 89° / 59° | 0 |
| Oct | 64° / 47° | 0 | 70° / 41° | 0 | 79° / 53° | 0 |
| Nov | 54° / 41° | 0 | 54° / 39° | 0 | 65° / 45° | 0 |
| Dec | 47° / 36° | 0.5 | 46° / 35° | 0.1 | 56° / 41° | 0 |
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020: PORTLAND INTL AP (USW00024229, 19 ft); GRANTS PASS (USC00353445, 932 ft); SACRAMENTO 5 ESE (USW00023271, 38 ft). Snow days are days with at least 1 inch of new snow. “—” means the station does not publish that normal.
Road conditions
Closures and chain rules change by the hour, so we link to the official reports for Oregon and California rather than repeat them.
- For this passCaltrans I-5 highway conditions
- Oregon · ODOTTripCheck road conditions
- Oregon · winter rulesChain laws
- California · CaltransQuickMap conditions and cameras
- California · winter rulesChain controls
Check the official National Weather Service forecast and each state's road report before you leave.
Get alerts timed to where you’ll be when you get there
Road Travel plans the drive from Portland to Sacramento with the forecast at every stretch for the hour you’ll reach it, then warns you about weather ahead while you drive.
Questions about this drive
How long is the drive from Portland to Sacramento?
579 miles, about 9½ hours of driving without stops, by way of I-5. Fuel, food and rest stops add to that.
What is the highest point on the drive?
Siskiyou Summit, at 4,310 ft. It comes at mile 297, about 4 h 58 min of driving after you leave Portland.
How cold is Sacramento in January?
Sacramento averages a high of 57°F and a low of 41°F in January (1991–2020 normals).