Parts of the Northwest were suffering from a brutal weather pattern this week, with a mix of wintry precipitation and frigid temperatures causing power outages in Oregon, and the state’s governor declaring a state of emergency for at least one county. And forecasters are warning the misery is not over yet.
As of early Wednesday, nearly 90,000 customers in Oregon were without power, mostly in the western half of the state, according to PowerOutage.us, which aggregates data from utilities across the country. The majority of outages were reported in Lane County, where Gov. Tina Kotek on Tuesday issued an emergency declaration.
“Lane County has suffered extensive damage as a result of the winter storm conditions that we’re seeing across Oregon,” Ms. Kotek said in a statement, according to KGW8, a local news outlet. The declaration will help the county gain access to federal resources.
In its own emergency declaration, the Lane County Board of County Commissioners cited severe damage — widespread power outages, road closures, downed trees and power lines — caused by an ice storm. Lingering temperatures below freezing, which poses heath risks to residents, has also created challenging travel conditions for emergency medical workers, the commissioners said.
Several other surrounding counties, including Washington County, have also issued local emergency declarations.
There are no signs of improvement in the immediate forecast across the Pacific Northwest, according to the National Weather Service.
More than three million people in northwest Oregon were under an ice storm warning Wednesday, while more than 12 million from Washington to eastern Montana, and as far south Colorado, were under a winter weather advisory.
Weather Service forecasters were tracking a system Wednesday responsible for bringing significant freezing rain to the Portland area. The system was expected to taper off by the morning, with a high chance of ice accumulation. It will then spread heavy mountain snow across the interior Northwest. The Cascades and Northern Rockies could see moderate to major winter storm effects.
A second storm system will then quickly settle over the area, directing another round of Pacific moisture on both Thursday and Friday.
Much of the United States and Canada have experienced a frigid and dangerous start to the year because of inclement weather. Wind chill readings fell substantially below zero in some cities over the holiday weekend. In the Northwest, strong winds knocked down trees, crushing homes, cars, and other property. The storm is being blamed for at least nine deaths — from falling trees, fire or hypothermia — in the Portland area, according to The Oregonian.
