The National Weather Service has notified the Portland Bureau of Transportation of the potential for accumulating snow of a half inch to 2 inches in the Portland area late Tuesday night and continuing into Wednesday morning commute hours. Temperatures may remain low for much of the morning on Wednesday, so snow that accumulates may linger.
A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for the entire Willamette Valley, Coast Range and the Cascades. The heaviest amount of snow could fall south and west of Portland.
There may be more accumulations in areas south and west of Portland, so everyone should check the elevation and weather conditions at your home, your destination and areas along your route before starting a trip. Conditions will likely vary across the metropolitan area, depending on elevation and proximity to colder winds from the Columbia River Gorge.
PBOT advises the public to be aware of forecasts, use caution, delay your travel to avoid traveling during forecast snow or ice. Consider public transit, and check trimet.org/alerts and portlandstreetcar.org for service alerts before you go.
PBOT also reminds property owners, tenants and businesses that they are responsible for clearing sidewalks of snow and ice. It is important that sidewalks are clear so that people who are walking to transit and people with disabilities can move about safely.
In snowy and icy conditions, PBOT strongly advises delaying travel if possible. If people must travel, PBOT recommends taking public transit.
While the forecast is still unclear, there are some simple things all Portlanders can do to prepare themselves for winter weather.
- Make a checklist for your home, business, and/or vehicle. Property owners, tenants and businesses should have supplies on hand, such as ice melt and snow shovels to clear sidewalks as well as pathways across their driveways. People driving should carry snow chains and an emergency kit.
- Create an emergency plan with your family or work colleagues that emphasizes telecommuting, public transit and emergency meeting locations for your Monday morning commute. Check our Winter Weather Center to see the priority snow and ice routes nearest you.
- Know your elevation, and the elevation of areas you are traveling to and through. Check the interactive elevation map in the "Elevation, Weather and Traffic" section of PBOT’s Winter Weather Center to see if your area is located at 500 feet or 1,000 above sea level. Use PortlandMaps.com to look up any address in Portland and find the approximate elevation.
Source: Portland Bureau of Transportation