By STEVEN DUBOIS
Associated Press
PORTLAND, Ore. — A major snowstorm spread through Portland and parts of Washington state, toppling trees, closing schools and cutting power to thousands.
Areas of Portland got more than a foot of snow, a rare event in a city known for its rain, and the precipitation was expected to continue until Wednesday afternoon. The intensity of the storm came as a surprise to meteorologists, most of whom expected no more than 4 inches.
“We are going to be analyzing this one, because this is a special one,” National Weather Service meteorologist Treena Jensen said.
The snow began at the end of Tuesday’s rush-hour commute, so the roads were free of heavy traffic during the storm. Still, some vehicles jackknifed, spun out or were left abandoned by fearful drivers on Interstate 5 and other highways.
Snow didn’t reach Seattle, but in southwestern Washington, Clark County closed its offices for the day. In the central part of the state, the Grant County Sheriff’s Office warned everyone to keep off the roads, saying snow drifts of 3 to 5 feet made them impassable. Deputies were checking on stranded motorists, but any calls that weren’t life-threatening were expected to take hours to resolve.
“There are just too many roads impacted to even begin to describe the impact areas,” spokesman Kyle Foreman wrote in a news release Wednesday. “Deputies are advising motorists stuck in drifts to remain inside their vehicles, turn on their hazard lights and call for a tow truck.”
The Oregon Department of Transportation urged drivers to retrieve their vehicles Wednesday morning and free up space for snow plows and sanders. The agency also warned drivers to stay home, if possible.
“The timing of this was definitely fortuitous,” ODOT spokesman Don Hamilton said. “When these kinds of storms happen in the middle of the working day, at noon or 2 p.m., it can be very tricky.
“But we still had a big rush of cars coming out at 8 or 9 o’clock, right when the storm was at its fiercest and that’s where we had a lot of the problems.”
Schools throughout the region canceled classes and numerous government offices were closed.
Several large branches were down near Portland State University and Portland General Electric reported that more than 30,000 customers were without power Wednesday morning.
Portland’s light-rail trains and streetcars were affected by frozen switches, downed trees and fallen power lines. Service was reduced and shuttle buses were needed.
Portland International Airport was open, but some flights were canceled or delayed.
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