Snow blankets much of Western Oregon, creating treacherous roads, closing schools

Greg Palin shovels the sidewalk in front of his wife's business, a yarn shop called Close Knit on Northeast Alberta Street, in Portland on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023. A snow storm covered the metro area in several inches of snow, making roads icy and leading to several school and business closures.

Rob Manning / OPB

The National Weather Service says more than 10 inches of snow have officially fallen in Portland since Wednesday afternoon, making it the second-snowiest day ever recorded in the city. Some areas saw more than a foot of snow.

Snow also blanketed the Willamette Valley and Southwest Washington, bringing traffic to a stop during the Wednesday night commute throughout much of the region. On Thursday morning, transportation officials recommended staying home if possible. If you must head out, expect ice, snow, and downed trees in many areas.

On the Oregon coast and in the Coast Range, downed trees closed several roads Thursday, including U.S. 101 north of Neskowin, from milepost 96 to 105; U.S. 20, from milepost 10 to 20; and Oregon 34, between milepost 5 and 28.

And in Newport, snow postponed the city's seafood and wine festival.

"It's been very successful. Each year it keeps getting bigger," said Newport Mayor Dean Sawyer. "About 20,000 people a year come here for this weekend."

The event, which has occurred for more than 40 years, will kick off tomorrow at noon and run through Sunday, according to organizers. Sawyer added that visitors should check road conditions before coming to town.

Schools are closed for the day throughout northwest Oregon and Southwest Washington, along with many city, county and state offices. And dozens of flight into and out of PDX have been canceled.

Caleigh Feeny, left, and Matthew Baumgartner walk their dog Whiskey in southwest Portland, Feb. 23, 2023. Heavy snowfall began on Wednesday afternoon, making it the second-snowiest day ever recorded in the city.

Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB

Myron Lee shovels the sidewalks in the Sylvan Hills area as Portland area digs out on Feb. 23, 2023. Heavy snowfall began on Wednesday afternoon, making it the second-snowiest day ever recorded in the city.

Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB

A driver gets a push after being stuck in the snow, in southwest Portland, Feb. 23, 2023. Heavy snowfall began on Wednesday afternoon, making it the second-snowiest day ever recorded in the city.

Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB

A pair of cross country skiers ski through Sellwood Park in Portland, Feb. 23, 2023.

Stephani Gordon / OPB

Rockaway Beach, Ore., on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023. Heavy snow coated much of Northwest Oregon and Southwest Washington Wednesday afternoon and overnight into Thursday morning.

Courtesy of Doug Colling

A woman uses a blanket to stay warm as she battles the cold and snow on Feb. 23, 2023 in the far west side of Portland. Heavy snowfall began on Wednesday afternoon, making it the second-snowiest day ever recorded in the city.

Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB

Rob Manning / OPB

TriMet buses pause on any icy patch of of road at Northeast Alberta Street and 15th Avenue Northeast in Portland on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023. A snow storm covered the metro area in several inches of snow, making roads icy and leading to several school and business closures.

Rob Manning / OPB

Packed ice on Milwaukie Avenue in Sellwood, Feb. 23, 2023.

Stephani Gordon / OPB

Christopher Gorton carries home groceries after walking to the store in southwest Portland, Feb. 23, 2023. Heavy snowfall began on Wednesday afternoon, making it the second-snowiest day ever recorded in the city.

Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB

A smile is drawn onto the windshield on a snow-covered car in southwest Portland, Feb. 23, 2023. Heavy snowfall began on Wednesday afternoon, making it the second-snowiest day ever recorded in the city.

Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB

Portland area digs out on Feb. 23, 2023, after heavy snowfall began on Wednesday afternoon, making it the second-snowiest day ever recorded in the city.

Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB

Portland area digs out on Feb. 23, 2023, after heavy snowfall began on Wednesday afternoon, making it the second-snowiest day ever recorded in the city.

Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB

Portland area digs out on Feb. 23, 2023, after heavy snowfall began on Wednesday afternoon, making it the second-snowiest day ever recorded in the city. A person walks through deep snow in the Sylvan Hills area in SW Portland.

Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB

Portland area digs out on Feb. 23, 2023, after heavy snowfall began on Wednesday afternoon, making it the second-snowiest day ever recorded in the city.

Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB

Portland area digs out on Feb. 23, 2023, after heavy snowfall began on Wednesday afternoon, making it the second-snowiest day ever recorded in the city.

Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB

A bird is fluffed up for warmth, as Portland area digs out on Feb. 23, 2023. Heavy snowfall began on Wednesday afternoon, making it the second-snowiest day ever recorded in the city.

Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB

In this contributed photo, a view from Newport, Feb. 23, 2023. The snow postponed the city's seafood and wine festival. Organizers say it will kick off on Friday and run through Sunday.

Courtesy of Dean Sawyer

In the Outer Kerns area in Portland, Zephyr Anderson takes advantage of a snow day, Feb. 23, 2023. Heavy snowfall began on Wednesday afternoon, making it the second-snowiest day ever recorded in the city.

Heather Arndt Anderson / OPB

Snow covers South Portland and downtown Milwaukie. Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023

Kristian Foden-Vencil / OPB

Drivers creep along NW Naito Parkway near Burnside Bridge in Portland, Feb. 22, 2023. Commutes throughout the Portland area were hampered by heavy snowfall, Feb. 22, 2023.

Prakruti Bhatt / OPB

A Catlin Gabel school bus was stranded near the Multnomah Athletic Club in Portland, Feb. 22, 2023.

Alexandria Hasenstab / OPB

Tanner Springs Park in the Pearl District, under a blanket of snow. Feb. 22, 2023.

Katie Alcantar / OPB

A TriMet bus is stuck in the roadway, facing south in the northbound lanes, near the intersection of NE 82nd and Sandy. Commutes throughout the Portland area were hampered by heavy snowfall, Feb. 22, 2023.

Kevin Kays / OPB

Traffic was inching along on Macadam Avenue in Portland, Feb. 22, 2023.

Courtney Sherwood / OPB

In the Sylvan Hills area of Southwest Portland, a driver receives some help getting up Barnes Road. Feb. 22, 2023.

Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB

At Hosford Middle School in SE Portland, there was enough snow for Mia, left, and Xander Livingston-Edwards to get started on making a snowman, Feb. 22, 2023.

Morgan McDonald / OPB

A truck sits in the middle of the roadway after attempting to climb NW Cornell Rd. near the intersection of NW Miller Rd. in Southwest Portland, Feb. 22, 2023.

Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB

People slip on the snow-covered sidewalks near Tanner Springs Park in the Pearl District, Feb. 22, 2023.

Katie Alcantar / OPB

As the snow fell around 3 p.m., Portland International Airport crews worked to clear the snow from the gates, Feb. 22, 2023.

Courtesy of Laura Britzius

Sellwood River Park, Feb. 23, 2023.

Stephani Gordon / OPB

The snow is expected to stick around until the weekend in the Portland metro area as temperatures are not expected to get above freezing Thursday — in fact, a wind chill advisory for temps down to zero is in effect until noon Friday.

Rain is expected to return Sunday, with temperatures mostly staying above freezing for next week.

On Wednesday night, commuters across the Portland metro area reported stop-and-go traffic as snow began to build up after falling and melting away in some areas for much of the day.

The Oregon Department of Transportation showed most main arterials through Portland jammed up, including I-5, I-205, I-84, US-26 and US-30.

A couple of trucks are having some trouble at the I-5/84 interchange. A couple of other cars have been abandoned here as well. 5:46 PM #LiveOnK2 pic.twitter.com/AoQo1oyssh

ODOT warned drivers to stay home, but to plan on delays and hazardous road conditions throughout Wednesday night and possibly into Thursday morning if they must travel. Forecasters said areas above 500 feet in the Portland metro area could see up to 2 inches of additional snow.

For anyone who must travel, officials advise bringing warm clothing, food and water in case of an emergency. The latest road conditions are available through tripcheck.com. The Portland Bureau of Transportation also offers an interactive map showing where city snow plows are working, and if any city roads are closed. People using public transportation can check on their bus or train schedule up to the minute through TriMet and C-Tran.

By 6 p.m. Wednesday, dropping temperatures had made some roads icy and closures quickly swept the region. Stalled trucks on the I-84 interchange with I-5 closed westbound lanes entirely. Gresham police also warned drivers that icy roads in east Multnomah County were likely there to stay overnight.

Kevin Kays / OPB

Officials with the Beaverton School District say one bus, dropping off students in the Cedar Mill area got stuck and was unable to get chains on. Students were picked up by parents or guardians, but the bus was left behind to be dealt with the following day.

Two school buses in the Gresham-Barlow School District got stuck taking students home, but according to a district spokesperson, transportation services staff responded quickly and were able to get children home "with little delay." Gresham-Barlow closed early, and officials made the decision Wednesday evening to close school Thursday.

SNOWY STREETS ALERT: Roads in Gresham and east @MultCoSO are very hazardous, & not likely to change tonight. Officers are on multiple crashes and spun out cars which makes it tough to respond to 911 calls. If you don't have to leave where you are at right now, please stay there! pic.twitter.com/Zx87oBuwVe

Officials in the Reynolds and West Linn-Wilsonville school districts said all bus-riding students in those districts made it home safely.

A spokesperson for the North Clackamas School District said all students in that district made it home, as well.

"While the weather forced some buses in our Happy Valley attendance area to either cancel or alter routes, we were able to communicate with families promptly and arrange alternate transportation for affected students," said North Clackamas communications director Seth Gordon, in an email to OPB.

Gordon said some parents had to pick up students who normally ride the bus, and in other cases, the district sent "alternative vehicles" to get kids home. In addition, he said a "handful" of high school students had to be "redirected" to a middle school to be picked up. Ultimately, all students were safely with their families just before 7 p.m. Wednesday, according to Gordon.

Attempts to reach Portland Public Schools officials were unanswered.

Related: The latest on closures in the Portland area

The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning or winter storm advisory for much of western Oregon and southwest Washington, as well as parts of eastern Oregon near Pendleton through early Thursday. Up to a foot of snow could fall in areas above 2,000 feet of elevation.

Wind chill warnings stretch from the north Willamette Valley to the Gorge. Temperatures could drop to single-digits in the Portland metro area and well below zero in the foothills Thursday and Friday.

This story may be updated.

Tags: Weather, Portland

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