6 days Ago
A powerful winter storm set to lash the Pacific Northwest this week is expected to bring strong winds and several inches of snow to the eastern slopes of the Cascades. The blast of winter weather included a forecast of wind gusts up to 60 mph Tuesday night and into Wednesday, the National Weather Service said in an advisory. Snow is expected over 3,500 feet, with 2-8 inches falling in parts of southern and western Deschutes County and more snow at higher elevations.
The winter storm warning is in place for Oregon, Washington and Northern California, with blizzard conditions that could make travel difficult to impossible and possibly life-threatening across the region, according to the National Weather Service. Santiam Pass is shown on this screenshot from an Oregon Department of Transportation webcam Tuesday afternoon. The wild weather is due to the occurrence of a so-called bomb cyclone off the Pacific Coast, a weather phenomenon that occurs when a cyclone intensifies rapidly.
“That is what we are seeing today. It is really going to strengthen pretty quickly. It has been this morning, and it will continue to do that as we go through the rest of the day today,” Matt Calihan, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Pendleton, said Tuesday.
Calihan is forecasting the storm to bring around 16 inches of snow to Santiam Pass and blowing snow across the region that could create visibility issues. Most of the snow was expected to drop off by midday Wednesday. Bend was forecast to receive a half-inch to 3 inches of snow, with southern and western areas seeing higher accumulations.
Gusts will reach 45 mph in Bend, Calihan said. Jacob Larsen, a spokesperson for the city of Bend, said the city is primed for plowing duties, with 18 snowplow operators ready to work per shift. “We maintain about 936 lane miles with two daily work shifts,” said Larsen.
The National Weather Service warns of downed trees and toppled power lines that could cause outages. Simon Guttierrez, a spokesperson for Pacific Power, said significant impacts to the power grid are not anticipated, but crews are ready to respond in the event that outages occur. Central Oregon residents are advised to prepare for power outages by having flashlights handy and cellphones charged.
Officials suggest checking on elderly neighbors and other vulnerable people who may be without heat and power. The Bend-La Pine school district begins its weather evaluations around 2 a.m.
or 3 a.m. If a decision is made to close schools or delay the start of school, those are announced by 5:30 a.
m. via text and social media. School district spokesperson Scott Maben said work to clear and sand school driveways starts late at night or in the early morning hours.
Law enforcement officials are bracing for an increase in motor vehicle crashes as the inclement weather unfolds. Sheila Miller, a spokesperson for the Bend Police, said drivers involved in a noninjury crash should move vehicles out of the way of oncoming traffic. “Our advice in inclement weather is always to slow down, give yourself lots of space between cars and pay attention.
Don’t expect that your tires are going to allow you to stop on a dime on slick roads. If you don’t have to be out in the bad weather, stay home,” Miller said. Freshly fallen snow covers the banks of the Deschutes River as it flows gently through Sunriver on Monday.
Winter weather is expected to intensify this week with a "bomb cyclone" pummeling the West Coast. Bad weather could also impact flights. Redmond Airport Director Zachary Bass advises travelers to watch flight schedules online for changes and delays.
“We are not expecting a huge amount of snow, so it's business as usual with the expectation of inclement weather,” said Bass. “If weather affects larger airports, it does affect us, so folks should check with the airlines and give themselves plenty of time before a flight.” Road conditions during the winter weather are also expected to be severely impacted — as of Tuesday afternoon the mountain passes were piling up with snow drifts with more accumulations expected during the week.
Vehicles passing through snow zones are required by state law to carry tire chains or traction devices when there is a chance of snow. In some conditions, the Oregon Department of Transportation may require chains to pass through a snow zone or a section of severely affected highway. Drivers are being advised to check tripcheck.
com before heading out on the roads to see real-time conditions. Road conditions can also be checked over the phone by calling 511..
