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I-84 closed as winter storm paralyzes N. Oregon
Sunday, December 21, 2008 | No comments posted.
PORTLAND (AP) — Icy wind and heavy snow from a Pacific storm system closed Interstate 84 and was expected to bring even more treacherous driving conditions with freezing rain in heavily populated areas through the weekend.
The storm was the third and largest of fronts during the week, and a forecaster said another, weaker one is on the way, due perhaps just before Christmas.
Interstate 84 was closed between the Portland suburb of Troutdale and Hood River, about 45 miles east of the metro area in the Columbia River Gorge.
The Multnomah County sheriff’s office asked the public to stay off the roads unless it’s an emergency or they are providing essential services, with many reports of cars and trucks stuck in snow drifts.
“It is extremely dangerous to be on the roads at this time,” said Deputy Paul McRedmond, sheriff’s spokesman.
Chains were required on all major highways in the Portland metro area as winds piled up drifts of snow and road crews struggled to keep up.
Downtown was nearly deserted as businesses closed early all across the area and traffic was crawling along.
“The main problem right now is the steady snow and gusting winds,” said Tim Heider, spokesman for Clackamas County, which stretches from the southern suburbs to Mount Hood.
TriMet dispatched its five ice-cutter trains to shave ice off overhead power lines and keep the Portland light rail line running. The transit agency said all buses were chained and limited to 25 mph, so delays were expected.
Amtrak canceled service between Portland and Seattle, saying it would reassess the situation on Sunday.
The expected weekend snowfall is significant:
A foot to 2 feet in the western Columbia Gorge, 8 to 16 inches in the northern Coast Range, 5 to 10 inches in the Portland metro and Interstate 5 corridor, 1 to 2 feet in the Cascade Range, 5 to 10 inches in the valleys of Eastern Oregon with 10 to 18 inches in the mountains, and 1 to 3 inches in valleys in Southern Oregon.
The storm was coming ashore with high winds on the coast — gusts up to 60 mph were expected.
Snowfall amounts were slightly higher in the northern part of the state, but the storm was dumping snow throughout the Pacific Northwest.
Freezing rain was reported in the Willamette Valley on Saturday afternoon, and more could be expected in the Portland metro area on Sunday, said meteorologist Jonathan Wolfe.
“It’ll be nasty well into Sunday evening,” he said.
Alaska Airlines said it canceled 47 flights Saturday and Sunday to and from Portland, Seattle and Vancouver, British Columbia, due to severe winter weather. More cancellations or delays were possible.
Local and state officials advised drivers to stay put in many areas and to chain up, or use traction tires and drive slowly in others.
In the Portland metro area, heavy trucks were required to have chains, as were all vehicles on U.S. Highway 26 and Oregon 6 in the Coast Range.
The snowfall, though, is likely to give the ski season a big boost. After a dry fall and a late start, most Oregon ski areas are open, joined by two Southern Oregon areas this week, Willamette Pass and Mount Ashland.
About 1,500 inmates at the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility went without hot showers because the prison is one of those that has a contract with NW Natural allowing interrupted service or higher bills during cold spells.
The utility said the interruption is expected to last until Monday.
The prison has a propane backup system to keep it going, but the reduction in energy use also means only one hot meal a day for inmates, Department of Corrections spokeswoman Jennifer Black said.
The storm was the third and largest of fronts during the week, and a forecaster said another, weaker one is on the way, due perhaps just before Christmas.
Interstate 84 was closed between the Portland suburb of Troutdale and Hood River, about 45 miles east of the metro area in the Columbia River Gorge.
The Multnomah County sheriff’s office asked the public to stay off the roads unless it’s an emergency or they are providing essential services, with many reports of cars and trucks stuck in snow drifts.
“It is extremely dangerous to be on the roads at this time,” said Deputy Paul McRedmond, sheriff’s spokesman.
Chains were required on all major highways in the Portland metro area as winds piled up drifts of snow and road crews struggled to keep up.
Downtown was nearly deserted as businesses closed early all across the area and traffic was crawling along.
“The main problem right now is the steady snow and gusting winds,” said Tim Heider, spokesman for Clackamas County, which stretches from the southern suburbs to Mount Hood.
TriMet dispatched its five ice-cutter trains to shave ice off overhead power lines and keep the Portland light rail line running. The transit agency said all buses were chained and limited to 25 mph, so delays were expected.
Amtrak canceled service between Portland and Seattle, saying it would reassess the situation on Sunday.
The expected weekend snowfall is significant:
A foot to 2 feet in the western Columbia Gorge, 8 to 16 inches in the northern Coast Range, 5 to 10 inches in the Portland metro and Interstate 5 corridor, 1 to 2 feet in the Cascade Range, 5 to 10 inches in the valleys of Eastern Oregon with 10 to 18 inches in the mountains, and 1 to 3 inches in valleys in Southern Oregon.
The storm was coming ashore with high winds on the coast — gusts up to 60 mph were expected.
Snowfall amounts were slightly higher in the northern part of the state, but the storm was dumping snow throughout the Pacific Northwest.
Freezing rain was reported in the Willamette Valley on Saturday afternoon, and more could be expected in the Portland metro area on Sunday, said meteorologist Jonathan Wolfe.
“It’ll be nasty well into Sunday evening,” he said.
Alaska Airlines said it canceled 47 flights Saturday and Sunday to and from Portland, Seattle and Vancouver, British Columbia, due to severe winter weather. More cancellations or delays were possible.
Local and state officials advised drivers to stay put in many areas and to chain up, or use traction tires and drive slowly in others.
In the Portland metro area, heavy trucks were required to have chains, as were all vehicles on U.S. Highway 26 and Oregon 6 in the Coast Range.
The snowfall, though, is likely to give the ski season a big boost. After a dry fall and a late start, most Oregon ski areas are open, joined by two Southern Oregon areas this week, Willamette Pass and Mount Ashland.
About 1,500 inmates at the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility went without hot showers because the prison is one of those that has a contract with NW Natural allowing interrupted service or higher bills during cold spells.
The utility said the interruption is expected to last until Monday.
The prison has a propane backup system to keep it going, but the reduction in energy use also means only one hot meal a day for inmates, Department of Corrections spokeswoman Jennifer Black said.
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