tlongII
12-22-2008, 02:35 PM
Unbeavable!
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/12/monday_morning_weather_1.html
http://blog.oregonlive.com/news_impact/2008/12/PH.STORM%20VII.RLR0953.JPG
Thousands are without electricity. Routes to the Oregon Coast and Interstate 84 east of Portland are closed. Hundreds of flights from Portland International Airport are canceled. And TriMet officials say as many as 70 buses are stuck in snow this morning.
Snow continues to fall across the Portland area this morning. Meteorologists predict snow showers with a total of two inches falling by day's end.
Portland General Electric crews were responding to outages affecting about 55,000 customers, concentrated mostly in west Portland, Beaverton, Gresham and the Salem area. Many of the outages due to ice and snow are small -- each affecting a handful of homes.
Customers should report outages by calling 503-464-7777 in Portland, 503-399-7717 in Salem or 1-800-544-1795 in other areas.
"We do ask customers to be prepared for an extended outage," PGE spokesman Steve Corson said. "We have a lot of small outages in addition to the small ones, so the crews have to cover a lot of ground to get to every problem."
Additional crews are being called in to restore power lost due to snow, ice and cold temperatures. The utility also has had reports of downed power lines, prompting officials to warn the public never to touch or approach downed utility lines.
Fewer than 200 households are without power in Clark County, with about 110 of those located north of Washougal. Clark County Utilities said crews this morning restored power to about 370 customers. Meanwhile in Cowlitz County, only seven customers north of Kelso still have no electricity. Power was restored to about 200 public utility district customers earlier today. All outages are related to the severe winter weather.
As many as 70 TriMet buses are stuck across the Portland area this morning, agency spokeswoman Mary Fetsch said. Two dozen are on snow routes and another two dozen routes are canceled. While it's too early to tell whether public transit is seeing record ridership, Fetsch said ridership today is strong.
She said snow drifts and ice are the biggest bus headaches. Shuttles are moving MAX passengers along three Blue Line stops in Gresham, but that line is expected to be running again by noon. Those buses -- as well as buses that run on canceled routes -- are being rerouted to frequently used routes around the city. About half of TriMet's passengers ride frequent-service routes.
More than 600 flights have been delayed or canceled in and out of Portland International Airport since snow blanketed the area Saturday.
So far today, 124 flights have been canceled. That's a fraction of the 675 scheduled flights into and out of Portland. Officials recommend checking on flight estimates by phone at 877-739-4636. They also are available at oregonlive.com/travel or .
The word for travelers, says Port of Portland spokeswoman Kama Simonds, is "check, check, and check" for the status of incoming and departing flights.
Crews are working to clear and de-ice runways and taxiways.
"Airlines are doing their best to get people out of here," said Steve Johnson, Port of Portland spokesman.
About 300 people camped out last night at the airport. Stranded travelers are taking comfort in airline-donated blankets, extended restaurant hours and the strains of a guitarist playing holiday music.
For the smallest would-be travelers, Johnson said port workers rounded up diapers.
Farther to the north, thousands of people have been stranded for days at Sea-Tac Airport as airlines have canceled flights. Airport spokesman Perry Cooper said airport runways are operating and Alaska and Horizon airlines, which account for half of Sea-Tac flights, are resuming limited service today.
Perry says the airport has been distributing water and blankets.
Hundreds of flights have been canceled since Friday. The airport normally handles about 900 flights and 90,000 passengers a day this time of year.
Oregon Department of Transportation crews worked overnight to clear state highways and interstates. Still, two major routes to the Coast remain closed: U.S. 26 and Oregon 6. Christine Miles, the transportation agency's spokeswoman, said coastal highways are glazed with freezing rain, have a high snow pack and are crossed by fallen trees.
All lanes Interstate 84 from Troutdale to Hood River will remain closed for the day. ODOT representatives are going to each truck to ask drivers to move off Northwest Frontage Road in Troutdale. About 100 trucks are parked there and waiting to get back on the highway. The trucks are taking up a lane and a partial lane, making it difficult for plows and emergency vehicles to pass, ODOT spokeswoman Christine Miles said.
"They have to move," she said. "They have to go back into the parking lot. We understand they are anxious. Time is money for them. We get that."
Miles said strong winds and slick conditions have made the highway extremely dangerous for drivers.
"That is going to be a tricky spot. We know people are anxious to head out for the holiday or they are working and need to get a shipment across Oregon. Until the winds die down, we can't open I-84."
If you plan to travel on state highways or interstates, ODOT requires you to have four-wheel drive with traction tires or you need to chain up.
Miles said some semi-trailer trucks who came through Mount Hood last night weren't chained up, creating a major hazard for other drivers coming down from the mountain. "We had some skiers trying to pass these semis and our crews saw at least two near-misses where probably a skier was trying to get home and passes a semi on a curve on the mountain. That's just trouble."
She advised motorists to go slowly, and remember that on-ramps and exit ramps and bridges are the first to freeze and the last to thaw so to use extra care in these areas.
Road conditions prompted officials to close state offices in Portland and Wilsonville. The closure affects all nonessential state workers. State offices in Salem remain open.
This morning, Nike officials closed the campus in Washington County, near Beaverton. The company will keep the campus closed until Dec. 29, Nike spokesman Bob Applegate said.
Portland and Gresham officials warned residents to call 9-1-1 only in cases of life-threatening emergencies.
"Calling about broken pipes, power outages and road conditions are not appropriate use of 911 or our emergency crews," Gresham Mayor Shane Bemis said. "If you want to help, please just stay home and stay off the roads."
Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue is helping the Washington County 9-1-1 center to help priororitize non-emergency calls handled by the state's second-largest fire department.
Karen Eubanks, a TVF&R spokeswoman, said the agency is beginning to receive numerous calls -- many of them alarms at private businesses or "public service" calls -- that are related to the extraordinary weather.
TVF&R is sending a liaison to the Washington County Consolidate Communications Center's dispatch center to help ensure that true emergencies receive top priority.
Eubanks said the fire agency, which has a 210-square mile service area and covers much of Washington County, is fielding emergency, non-emergency and "public service" calls during the current period of extreme winter weather.
"We'll respond to these calls as well as our resources allow," she said. Emergencies, she stressed, will receive top priority.
Eubanks added that fire officials are also concerned that some residents who live on hilly streets are parking along intersections at the base of the hill and then walking to their houses.
She urged people to remember that when cars park near one another at the base, it can make it difficult for fire trucks and ambulances to make their way to urgent calls at the top of the hill.
"It's OK when only one or two people are doing this," she said. "But there are so many right now. When everyone in the neighborhood is doing it, that's when it becomes problematic."
Portland transportation officials said another one to three inches of new snow overnight has added to a thick snowpack on the city's roads.
"We will continue to plow but sanding really doesn't do any good when we are getting more snow," said Cheryl Kuck, spokeswoman for Portland's transportation department.
Kuck said chains are not required, but they are recommended. State requirements that motorists on state roads have either a four-wheel drive vehicle with traction tires or chains applies to all state highways, she said. Those include state highways running through Portland, including Powell Boulevard, Sandy Boulevard in outer east Portland and Lombard Street, Barbur Boulevard, Macadam Avenue and 82nd Avenue.
She said commuters should try to use public transportation. But if drivers head out on their own, she suggests they know their route.
"Know whether you have hills on your route so you know what your vehicle can handle," she said.
Kuck said motorists may have to get used to the poor conditions at least this week. "What we see on our streets today we are likely to see on Christmas Day," she said.
TriMet offers this update:
MAX: Frozen switches are causing service disruptions. Shuttle bus frequency averages about every 15 minutes. Blue Line trains are running every 15 minutes between Hatfield Government station in Hillsboro and 197th/Ruby Junction in east Multnomah County. Buses are serving Gresham City Hall, Gresham Central and Cleveland Ave stations. Buses are running along the Red Line between Gateway Transit Center and Portland International Airport. One of the shuttle buses will provide direct service between Gateway and the airport. Buses are running along the Yellow Line from the Expo Center to the Rose Quarter.
BUSES: All buses are driving with chains. Expect delays of 20 to 30 minutes. Many buses are on snow routes or canceled.
LIFT service will provide only life-sustaining trips.
Check TriMet's online service alerts for updates on MAX and bus service.
C-Tran in Washington has chained up buses, which continue to proviide direct service to downtown Portland, though connecting service has been cancelled. A handful of buses are on snow routes: Routes 2, 3, 9, 19, 32, 41 (trips to downtown Vancouver only), 47 (trips to downtown Vancouver only), 177 Evergreen Express. Route 105 buses are running between downtown Portland and downtown Vancouver only. All other buses are on regular routes but expect delays. For information, check C-Tran's Web site or call 360-695-0123.
Amtrak this morning announced it's canceled all trains on its Cascade route today. Amtrak Cascades operates between Eugene and Vancouver, B.C. Other Amtrak trains in the Pacific Northwest will run but are experiencing long delays.
Passengers are encouraged to call 800-USA-RAIL or visit Amtrak.com for schedule information and train status updates.
Tuesday's forecast, meanwhile, calls for the calmest day we've had in more than a week, according to Tyree Wilde, warning coordination meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Portland.
All Multnomah County offices -- including clinics and libraries -- are scheduled to open at noon today. Oregon Food Bank's Northeast Portland and Hillsboro locations are closed.
The region will get hit by another winter weather system Wednesday. With snow levels rising to 1,000 feet, the Valley floor will see mostly rain.
But don't expect Wednesday's rain to melt away the snow that's socked in the region. "We have a pretty good snow pack so it's going to take a while for this snow to go away," Wild said.
http://blog.oregonlive.com/news_impact/2008/12/ph.snow.BB2.jpg
http://photos.oregonlive.com/photos/oregonian/126472fe672c83608103ab0c0b323344.jpg
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/12/monday_morning_weather_1.html
http://blog.oregonlive.com/news_impact/2008/12/PH.STORM%20VII.RLR0953.JPG
Thousands are without electricity. Routes to the Oregon Coast and Interstate 84 east of Portland are closed. Hundreds of flights from Portland International Airport are canceled. And TriMet officials say as many as 70 buses are stuck in snow this morning.
Snow continues to fall across the Portland area this morning. Meteorologists predict snow showers with a total of two inches falling by day's end.
Portland General Electric crews were responding to outages affecting about 55,000 customers, concentrated mostly in west Portland, Beaverton, Gresham and the Salem area. Many of the outages due to ice and snow are small -- each affecting a handful of homes.
Customers should report outages by calling 503-464-7777 in Portland, 503-399-7717 in Salem or 1-800-544-1795 in other areas.
"We do ask customers to be prepared for an extended outage," PGE spokesman Steve Corson said. "We have a lot of small outages in addition to the small ones, so the crews have to cover a lot of ground to get to every problem."
Additional crews are being called in to restore power lost due to snow, ice and cold temperatures. The utility also has had reports of downed power lines, prompting officials to warn the public never to touch or approach downed utility lines.
Fewer than 200 households are without power in Clark County, with about 110 of those located north of Washougal. Clark County Utilities said crews this morning restored power to about 370 customers. Meanwhile in Cowlitz County, only seven customers north of Kelso still have no electricity. Power was restored to about 200 public utility district customers earlier today. All outages are related to the severe winter weather.
As many as 70 TriMet buses are stuck across the Portland area this morning, agency spokeswoman Mary Fetsch said. Two dozen are on snow routes and another two dozen routes are canceled. While it's too early to tell whether public transit is seeing record ridership, Fetsch said ridership today is strong.
She said snow drifts and ice are the biggest bus headaches. Shuttles are moving MAX passengers along three Blue Line stops in Gresham, but that line is expected to be running again by noon. Those buses -- as well as buses that run on canceled routes -- are being rerouted to frequently used routes around the city. About half of TriMet's passengers ride frequent-service routes.
More than 600 flights have been delayed or canceled in and out of Portland International Airport since snow blanketed the area Saturday.
So far today, 124 flights have been canceled. That's a fraction of the 675 scheduled flights into and out of Portland. Officials recommend checking on flight estimates by phone at 877-739-4636. They also are available at oregonlive.com/travel or .
The word for travelers, says Port of Portland spokeswoman Kama Simonds, is "check, check, and check" for the status of incoming and departing flights.
Crews are working to clear and de-ice runways and taxiways.
"Airlines are doing their best to get people out of here," said Steve Johnson, Port of Portland spokesman.
About 300 people camped out last night at the airport. Stranded travelers are taking comfort in airline-donated blankets, extended restaurant hours and the strains of a guitarist playing holiday music.
For the smallest would-be travelers, Johnson said port workers rounded up diapers.
Farther to the north, thousands of people have been stranded for days at Sea-Tac Airport as airlines have canceled flights. Airport spokesman Perry Cooper said airport runways are operating and Alaska and Horizon airlines, which account for half of Sea-Tac flights, are resuming limited service today.
Perry says the airport has been distributing water and blankets.
Hundreds of flights have been canceled since Friday. The airport normally handles about 900 flights and 90,000 passengers a day this time of year.
Oregon Department of Transportation crews worked overnight to clear state highways and interstates. Still, two major routes to the Coast remain closed: U.S. 26 and Oregon 6. Christine Miles, the transportation agency's spokeswoman, said coastal highways are glazed with freezing rain, have a high snow pack and are crossed by fallen trees.
All lanes Interstate 84 from Troutdale to Hood River will remain closed for the day. ODOT representatives are going to each truck to ask drivers to move off Northwest Frontage Road in Troutdale. About 100 trucks are parked there and waiting to get back on the highway. The trucks are taking up a lane and a partial lane, making it difficult for plows and emergency vehicles to pass, ODOT spokeswoman Christine Miles said.
"They have to move," she said. "They have to go back into the parking lot. We understand they are anxious. Time is money for them. We get that."
Miles said strong winds and slick conditions have made the highway extremely dangerous for drivers.
"That is going to be a tricky spot. We know people are anxious to head out for the holiday or they are working and need to get a shipment across Oregon. Until the winds die down, we can't open I-84."
If you plan to travel on state highways or interstates, ODOT requires you to have four-wheel drive with traction tires or you need to chain up.
Miles said some semi-trailer trucks who came through Mount Hood last night weren't chained up, creating a major hazard for other drivers coming down from the mountain. "We had some skiers trying to pass these semis and our crews saw at least two near-misses where probably a skier was trying to get home and passes a semi on a curve on the mountain. That's just trouble."
She advised motorists to go slowly, and remember that on-ramps and exit ramps and bridges are the first to freeze and the last to thaw so to use extra care in these areas.
Road conditions prompted officials to close state offices in Portland and Wilsonville. The closure affects all nonessential state workers. State offices in Salem remain open.
This morning, Nike officials closed the campus in Washington County, near Beaverton. The company will keep the campus closed until Dec. 29, Nike spokesman Bob Applegate said.
Portland and Gresham officials warned residents to call 9-1-1 only in cases of life-threatening emergencies.
"Calling about broken pipes, power outages and road conditions are not appropriate use of 911 or our emergency crews," Gresham Mayor Shane Bemis said. "If you want to help, please just stay home and stay off the roads."
Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue is helping the Washington County 9-1-1 center to help priororitize non-emergency calls handled by the state's second-largest fire department.
Karen Eubanks, a TVF&R spokeswoman, said the agency is beginning to receive numerous calls -- many of them alarms at private businesses or "public service" calls -- that are related to the extraordinary weather.
TVF&R is sending a liaison to the Washington County Consolidate Communications Center's dispatch center to help ensure that true emergencies receive top priority.
Eubanks said the fire agency, which has a 210-square mile service area and covers much of Washington County, is fielding emergency, non-emergency and "public service" calls during the current period of extreme winter weather.
"We'll respond to these calls as well as our resources allow," she said. Emergencies, she stressed, will receive top priority.
Eubanks added that fire officials are also concerned that some residents who live on hilly streets are parking along intersections at the base of the hill and then walking to their houses.
She urged people to remember that when cars park near one another at the base, it can make it difficult for fire trucks and ambulances to make their way to urgent calls at the top of the hill.
"It's OK when only one or two people are doing this," she said. "But there are so many right now. When everyone in the neighborhood is doing it, that's when it becomes problematic."
Portland transportation officials said another one to three inches of new snow overnight has added to a thick snowpack on the city's roads.
"We will continue to plow but sanding really doesn't do any good when we are getting more snow," said Cheryl Kuck, spokeswoman for Portland's transportation department.
Kuck said chains are not required, but they are recommended. State requirements that motorists on state roads have either a four-wheel drive vehicle with traction tires or chains applies to all state highways, she said. Those include state highways running through Portland, including Powell Boulevard, Sandy Boulevard in outer east Portland and Lombard Street, Barbur Boulevard, Macadam Avenue and 82nd Avenue.
She said commuters should try to use public transportation. But if drivers head out on their own, she suggests they know their route.
"Know whether you have hills on your route so you know what your vehicle can handle," she said.
Kuck said motorists may have to get used to the poor conditions at least this week. "What we see on our streets today we are likely to see on Christmas Day," she said.
TriMet offers this update:
MAX: Frozen switches are causing service disruptions. Shuttle bus frequency averages about every 15 minutes. Blue Line trains are running every 15 minutes between Hatfield Government station in Hillsboro and 197th/Ruby Junction in east Multnomah County. Buses are serving Gresham City Hall, Gresham Central and Cleveland Ave stations. Buses are running along the Red Line between Gateway Transit Center and Portland International Airport. One of the shuttle buses will provide direct service between Gateway and the airport. Buses are running along the Yellow Line from the Expo Center to the Rose Quarter.
BUSES: All buses are driving with chains. Expect delays of 20 to 30 minutes. Many buses are on snow routes or canceled.
LIFT service will provide only life-sustaining trips.
Check TriMet's online service alerts for updates on MAX and bus service.
C-Tran in Washington has chained up buses, which continue to proviide direct service to downtown Portland, though connecting service has been cancelled. A handful of buses are on snow routes: Routes 2, 3, 9, 19, 32, 41 (trips to downtown Vancouver only), 47 (trips to downtown Vancouver only), 177 Evergreen Express. Route 105 buses are running between downtown Portland and downtown Vancouver only. All other buses are on regular routes but expect delays. For information, check C-Tran's Web site or call 360-695-0123.
Amtrak this morning announced it's canceled all trains on its Cascade route today. Amtrak Cascades operates between Eugene and Vancouver, B.C. Other Amtrak trains in the Pacific Northwest will run but are experiencing long delays.
Passengers are encouraged to call 800-USA-RAIL or visit Amtrak.com for schedule information and train status updates.
Tuesday's forecast, meanwhile, calls for the calmest day we've had in more than a week, according to Tyree Wilde, warning coordination meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Portland.
All Multnomah County offices -- including clinics and libraries -- are scheduled to open at noon today. Oregon Food Bank's Northeast Portland and Hillsboro locations are closed.
The region will get hit by another winter weather system Wednesday. With snow levels rising to 1,000 feet, the Valley floor will see mostly rain.
But don't expect Wednesday's rain to melt away the snow that's socked in the region. "We have a pretty good snow pack so it's going to take a while for this snow to go away," Wild said.
http://blog.oregonlive.com/news_impact/2008/12/ph.snow.BB2.jpg
http://photos.oregonlive.com/photos/oregonian/126472fe672c83608103ab0c0b323344.jpg