Big winter storm hits Oregon
Sunday, December 21, 2008 1:58 AM PST
PORTLAND (AP) — A Pacific storm system smacked Oregon with icy wind and snow Saturday and was also expected to bring freezing rain 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.
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.
