Extreme Northwest weather blows in, posing threat to lives, traffic, powerlines

A storm system has blown into Oregon and Southwest Washington bringing dangerously cold weather and chilling warnings of worse to come. Below-freezing temperatures are expected to continue dropping through Thursday, followed later in the day by significant freezing rain that could snarl holiday traffic, down powerlines and threaten the lives of unhoused people, meteorologists warned.

Areas of central and eastern Oregon and Washington could see wind chills as low as 25 degrees below zero, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Portland metro area is facing the coldest temperatures it’s seen in many years, with wind-chills near zero.

Several thousand Oregon homes and businesses had lost electricity as of 8:30 a.m. Thursday, mostly in the Portland metro area, with more power failures possible as high winds continue. Portland General Electric and Pacific Power both urged their customers to gather flashlights, keep devices charged, stash extra water, and avoid downed powerlines.

National Weather Service officials expect dry, cold air and strong winds across the region as the sun rises Thursday morning, with snow arriving by early evening, when the most extreme cold will set in.

Forecasters said snow will then transition to sleet and freezing rain in Northwest Oregon and Southwest Washington overnight, with significant ice accumulations possible even at low elevations.

Related: Here’s how to prepare as extreme weather approaches the Willamette Valley

Freezing rain is expected Friday from north of Salem through Southwest Washington as east winds slowly weaken and temperatures gradually climb west of the Cascades. But temperatures may remain below freezing east of the Cascades until Saturday, and until Christmas Day in the Columbia River Gorge.

The forecast has prompted a flurry of preparations from emergency managers seeking to protect the state’s most vulnerable.

Multnomah County leaders declared a state of emergency Tuesday and announced plans to open warming shelters. Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler declared a state of emergency starting Wednesday. Nearly 300 miles away, near Oregon’s southern border, officials in Ashland opened an emergency shelter for people seeking respite from extreme weather.

Nearly 15,000 Oregonians experienced homelessness at once during a count of the unhoused population earlier this year, according to an estimate released Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Weather conditions are already beginning to affect holiday travel.

Amtrak canceled Portland and Seattle departures of its West Coast-to-Chicago Empire Builder train line beginning Tuesday. And Portland International Airport was reporting a small but growing number of flight delays and cancellations Thursday morning. The Port of Portland warned travelers to check with airlines to confirm flight status as the weather worsens.

“Strong winds, low temps and freezing rain are on tap for much of Southwest Washington as we head into a busy holiday travel weekend. Our crews are working around-the-clock monitoring and treating highways as needed,” Washington state Department of Transportation spokesperson Tamara Greenwell said Wednesday in an email.

Officials at the Oregon Department of Transportation are urging people with holiday driving plans to travel either before or after Thursday’s ice storm, as they prepare for up to half an inch of ice to accumulate. They’re also urging travelers to be especially cautious when driving over bridges, which can develop treacherous ice long before ground-level roads freeze.

If people do opt to drive, they should pack food, water, warm clothes and an emergency kit, the Oregon Emergency Management office said via its Twitter account.

The impending storm was good for some people, though. Business was brisk at Portland’s oldest independently owned hardware store.

A steady stream of customers bought rock salt, windshield de-icer, shovels and covers for their external faucets to prevent pipes from freezing. Norman Chusid, whose family has owned Ankeny Hardware for nearly 75 of its 115 years, said he had done three days’ worth of business by noon on Wednesday.

“Portlanders are not always great about being prepared. They look for ice melt after there’s four inches of snow on the ground,” he said. “This time they’re really taking it to heart.”

The rest of the United States is facing similar perils. The National Weather Service has warned of extreme cold that will affect most of the 48 contiguous U.S. states, calling it the start of an “astronomical winter.” According to The Weather Channel, 250 million people will face sub-freezing lows across the country in the days ahead.

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Material from the Associated Press is included in this report.