Crews work to clear downed power lines across Cedar Hills Boulevard at Ridge Avenue in Beaverton on Jan. 14, 2024.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
More than 135,000 homes and businesses were without electricity across Oregon Sunday afternoon, as armies of linemen worked to restore power in the aftermath of a weather system that brought high winds and below-freezing temperatures to much of the state. Falling trees have damaged numerous homes, blocked roads and taken down power lines. At least four people may have died of weather-related causes.
The Multnomah County medical examiner’s office said on Sunday it is investigating two suspected hypothermia deaths in Portland. One person died Friday in inner Northeast Portland and the other died Saturday in Portland’s 97217 zip code, officials said on Sunday. Both people who died are male, and confirmation on each cause of death will take weeks or months, the county said in a press release. No other details were released.
Separately, Portland Fire & Rescue said a person died after a tree fell, hitting an RV, a power pole and a transformer, which affected their ability to respond. Firefighters struggled to respond as they worked around downed electrical wires and found the nearest hydrant was not working, likely due to ice. Three people escaped the RV alive, but a fourth, a woman in her early 30s, was trapped by the fallen RV and died inside. A fire investigator determined the people in the RV were using an open flame stove to keep warm when the tree fell, causing the RV to catch fire.
And in Lake Oswego, a tree crashed through the second floor of a house in the Southwood neighborhood, killing an older man who was inside, according to officials there.
Several Oregon counties issued state of emergency decrees Saturday, and officials urged people to stay in place Sunday while crews continued work to restore power and clear roads. According to the Oregon Department of Transportation, some areas of the state could face more cold and possibly freezing rain, while rising temperatures in Southwest Oregon bring with them the threat of floods and water on roads.
On social media, people in Portland and across Oregon shared stories of prolonged power outages and indoor temperatures that dropped into the 40s or even colder. Portland General Electric wrote on its website that efforts to restore electricity to all its customers could extend into the week ahead, while Pacific Power warned its customers to prepare for possible extended-duration outages.
“We are still battling the elements, but our crews are focused on repair and restoration as the weather allows,” Erik Brookhouse, vice president of system operations for Pacific Power, said in a press release.
The National Weather Service said winds peaked at more than 80 miles per hour in the Columbia River Gorge Saturday, and more than 50 miles per hour in Portland.
Lisa Tadewaldt, an arborist with Urban Forest Pro in Portland, said her business has been flooded with calls from people who had trees crash into their homes. It could be days before some trees are removed.
“The amount of trees on houses, it’s the most it’s ever been,” Tadewaldt said. “I don’t know what the insurance claim numbers are going to be, but they’re going to be high. It’s going to be insane.”
A towering evergreen tree fell onto a house and broke a kitchen window in the West Portland Park neighborhood near Lake Oswego. Numerous trees fell on homes and cars in the area, prompting many people to seek shelter elsewhere.
courtesy of Michele Sabatier
The most unusual part, she said, is that perfectly healthy trees are being blown down, breaking through roofs and into people’s homes. Typically, storms only blow down weak trees and do little overall damage to a house.
City officials from Newport reported that a tree fell on a homeless camp, injuring at least one person, on Saturday. The coastal community saw reports of multiple additional injuries reported due to downed trees, and numerous streets blocked off by downed power lines.
In Eugene, the University of Oregon closed its main campus and did not allow fans to attend Sunday afternoon’s basketball game against Arizona. Playing in a nearly empty arena, the Ducks beat the Wildcats, 70-58.
Low temperatures and high winds also contributed to burst pipes across much of the region.
First Christian Church in downtown Portland — one of the 10 sites offering warm overnight shelter in Multnomah County — had to close overnight Saturday because of a burst pipe there. Officials transported people who had been staying there to other locations.
On Sunday, Multnomah County officials announced they would open additional warm shelter sites, and would keep them open until at least 8 p.m. Monday.
Burst pipes also created challenges for Portland International Airport, leading to pooled water at the ticket lobby and elsewhere around the airport. Operations were not affected, but crews were still working to mop up affected areas mid-morning Sunday, an airport official said.
A bus on Southeast 52nd Avenue just north of Holgate in Portland, Ore. Trimet buses were all equipped with chains on Jan. 14, 2024.
Julie Sabatier / OPB
Winter storm and blizzard warnings were lifted Saturday night, but Coos County had a flood warning in effect until late Sunday. A hazardous seas warning was in effect until 10 a.m. Sunday along the Oregon and Southwest Washington coastline. The weather service said recreational boats should stay in port and commercial vessels should expect steep and dangerous seas until conditions improve.
A number of Northwest transit agencies have reported cancelations or delays, including the Oregon’s largest, the Portland metro area’s Trimet, which suspended all rail service due to weather conditions.