Snow in many of Oregon’s mountain passes is hampering travel for families on spring break this week.
The Oregon Department of Transportation closed Siskiyou Pass on Interstate 5 for much of Tuesday because of blizzard conditions near Mount Shasta.
ODOT spokeswoman Julie Denney said the California Department of Transportation requested the closure to stop vehicles from getting trapped.
An Oregon Department of Transportation camera shows driving conditions at the Siskiyou Summit location on Tuesday, March 28, 2023.
Oregon Department of Transportation / OPB
“The main areas with impact from these winter storms are the mountain passes in the Cascades such as the Willamette Pass, Highway 97 in Southern Oregon and even Highway 199, which goes from Grants Pass to the coast in Northern California,” Denney said.
Highways in other areas, like I-84 along the Columbia River, were open Tuesday. But officials advise drivers to plan ahead by carrying chains and checking ODOT road cameras for real-time road conditions.
“It does feel like winter is lasting extra long this year,” Denney said, “but spring storms are not unusual in Oregon. It is important to plan ahead and be prepared for winter driving conditions well into the spring.”
The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for the east slopes of the Cascades through 8 p.m. Tuesday, and said those areas could see several more inches of snow.