REAL PORTLAND OREGON WEATHER!!
"Were weather wimps," portland mayor charlie hales told patch a little after 9:00 Thursday morning as he was getting ready to head to city hall. "There"s no way around it."
City offices would be opening late as most of the snow that had fallen the day before was still there. Schools had already announced they would be closed for the day - a big step ahead of Wednesday when delaying the decision to close resulted in hundreds of kids in the region being stranded for hours.
Snow is the citys kryptonite, a fact that Hales - the citys mayor recognizes.
People back east hear that weve shut down and ask, how may feet of snow did you get? he says. And I have to tell him less than three inches and you can hear them shaking their heads.
Were supposed to be an area filled with people who love the outdoors," he says. "We can do better."
Portland and much of the region is not really equipped to deal with snow and ice, a slight bit of irony for an area that sits in the shadow of more than 11,000-foot mountain and not far from similarly sized peaks.
Yet, for the fourth time in a week, most government offices will open late again on Friday and - almost all schools will be closed. Winter break started two days early.
School districts including Beaverton, Oregon City, Hillsboro, Lake Oswego, Gresham-Barlow, West Linn-Wilsonville, David Douglas, Centennial, and Portland have announced they will be closed on Friday as well.
The region is still sitting with a couple of inches on the snow on the ground and districts don"t want to take a chance for a repeat of Wednesday. While there is no precipitation forecast for Thursday into Friday, the temperature is expected to remain around freezing.
"It"s going to remain on the cold side through the weekend, meaning snow and ice across the region will be slow to melt," the weather service said. "Not that you should ever not be careful driving, but with ice and snow slow to melt, and the potential for roads to refreeze at night, please remain extra cautious when out and about this weekend.
Even though there was barely any snow on the ground until late in the afternoon, what snow there was was enough to turn the region into a parking lot. There were reports of five-plus hour trips getting from Vancouver into Portland, three hours to make it from Southwest Portland to Southeast.
Accumulations varied - from 1.5 inches in downtown Portland to four inches in Gresham by Mount Hood Community College. There were two inches in Beaverton and Oregon City, three inches in Lake Oswego
There were few reports of people being happy about anything.
More than 1,00o students at different districts were stranded for hours as school buses struggled to maneuver and parents were challenged to pick up their kids.
The weather made the commute treacherous.
Many drivers abandoned their cars rather than try to drive. Portland"s Bureau of Transportation offered parking amnesty through Friday morning at 8:00 a.m. for people who left their cars parked at meters and were unable to move them or didn"t want to risk driving.
Hundreds of cars were abandoned in the region. The Oregon Department of Transportation set up temporary tow yards at OMSI and the Old Spaghetti Factory.
With the Winter Weather Advisory in effect, the Portland Bureau of Transportation sent out notice saying that while freezing rain is not expected, below freezing temperatures means that people should be prepared.
"The best advice for traveling in bad winter weather is not to travel at all if you can avoid it," they said in a statement. "Wait until conditions improve before venturing out in winter weather. Allow the snow plows, sanding trucks, and other emergency vehicles to get out ahead of you to treat conditions. Allow yourself extra time to reach your destination."
PBOT offers other tips as well:
The City of Portlands Snow and Ice Plan discourages private vehicle use and encourages public transit use instead. Plan ahead for your public transit commute by calling 503-238-RIDE (7433), visiting TriMet.org for bus and MAX light rail schedules and alerts or PortlandStreetcar.org for streetcar schedules and alerts. In snow and ice, plan for bus delays of 20 to 30 minutes. Know where your transit stops are before venturing out.PBOT provides tips for winter travel for people walking, biking or driving. Learn more at: http://www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/47307
Check www.PublicAlerts.org for breaking news and information on major service disruptions. Visit http://bit.ly/snowicepdx to learn more about how PBOT responds to snow and ice events in Portland.
PBOT VIDEO:
What"s it like to drive a snow plow?
Drivers have limited visibility
We invited our friends from AAA Oregon/Idaho, AARP Oregon, and The Street Trust (formerly the Bicycle Transportation Alliance) to take our snowplows for a spin at our annual snowplow training event for PBOT crews in October.
Watch what they learned:
Video by Hannah Schafer, Portland Bureau of Transportation.
Do not bike, walk or drive in front of a snow plow. Do not pass snow plows or sanding trucks, which are focused on the city"s busiest streets. The drivers have limited visibility, and you"re likely to find the road in front of them worse than the road behind.
Winter travel safety tips
- Carry an emergency weather kit
Have a well-stocked emergency kit in your vehicle to keep you safe and more comfortable during long waits. Your kit should include chains, shovel, bag of sand, battery jumper cables, first aid kit, basic tools (pliers, wrench, screwdriver and knife), blanket, extra clothing (hats, socks, boots, mittens), flashlight, and a cell phone or CB Radio.
- Expect slippery sidewalks; clear your own as well
In a winter storm, the sidewalk in front of your neighbors house may be the slickest surface you encounter. PBOT applies anti-icer and uses snow plows to clear streets along bus routes, but property owners are responsible for ensuring safe passage on sidewalks.
- Look out for people on bike or out walking
Be watchful for pedestrians and bicyclists who are also trying to get around in hazardous, low visibility conditions. Share the Road safely and responsibly.
- You are responsible for your vehicle
If you choose to drive, stay with your vehicle in a snow and ice storm. Any abandoned vehicle is subject to being cited and impounded. To locate your vehicle, call Police Auto Records at 503-823-0044. If you are driving and visibility and conditions are getting worse rapidly, do not stop in a travel lane. Any vehicle creating a safety hazard is subject to towing. The citation for "preventing free passage" is $80 and the current contractual cost of a tow is $168, so motorists can expect to pay at least $248. The cost to store a towed vehicle past the initial four hours is $25 per day.
Look for an opportunity to pull off the road into a safe parking area and wait for conditions to improve. If you cannot reach your home, move your vehicle off a major street or plow route onto a side street so that plows can completely open up major streets. If you become stuck or stranded in severe weather, stay with your vehicle for warmth and safety until help arrives. While you wait for help to arrive, open a window slightly for ventilation, run your motor sparingly, and use your emergency flashers.
- You may be towed on West Burnside and Sam Jackson Parkway
PBOT sets up chain-up areas in the shoulder heading uphill on West Burnside and SW Sam Jackson Parkway. They are set aside as a safe place for people to attach snow chains during a storm. Parking is not allowed in these areas and vehicles abandoned there are subject to towing.
- Recover your vehicle as soon as possible
Parking regulations and other road safety regulations remain enforceable during a winter storm. If you leave your vehicle parked in a metered parking space or other time zone during a winter storm, recover your vehicle as soon as possible when conditions improve. If you receive a citation, follow the instructions on the back of it to resolve it or contest it with the County Circuit Court.
- PBOT is prepared, with crews working in tough conditions
PBOT crews applied 8,100 gallons of anti-icer on Monday night, and expect to apply more to try to prevent snow or ice accumulation. Leaf Day service will be provided as scheduled Wednesday morning, for as long as conditions allow. The city"s fleet of more than 50 snow plows will be ready by noon. Parking enforcement officers will be in place to tow abandoned vehicles during the evening rush hour.
Plows are not able to move snow accumulations of 1 inch or less, so people who insist on driving should be prepared to drive on snow.
- Chains - your link to safety!
Buy chains, practice putting them on your car, carry them in your vehicle, and use them. You may need them unexpectedly. During snow storms, PBOT often requires chains or traction devices on West Burnside and SW Sam Jackson Parkway.
Graphics via National Weather Service/Photos via Oregon State Police
Source: http://patch.com/oregon/lakeoswego/portland-weather-snow-kidding-here-we-go-again-says-weather-service-maybe
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