Frigid temperatures chilled large swaths of the Pacific Northwest on Wednesday and are forecast to do so for the rest of the week, as dangerous winter weather conditions continue to grip the region and other parts of the country.
Wednesday night will likely be the coldest night of the season so far in northwestern Washington, with easterly winds bringing wind chills to subzero temperatures in some areas, the National Weather Service said.
The agency also warned that wind chills today could plunge to zero degrees in Portland, Ore., and could potentially plummet to 25 degrees below zero in parts of the Cascades in northern Oregon and southern Washington. Those mountainous areas could receive as much as 5 inches of snow and nearly half an inch of ice, with wind gusts possibly topping 70 mph above the tree line, the agency said.
Freezing rain is expected to be a “significant” concern across western Washington today, the NWS said.
Coupled with easterly winds, the precipitation could impact travel on portions of Interstate 5 in southwestern Washington, the agency said.
The National Weather Service is also predicting frigid conditions for the Inland Northwest today. Overnight and into this morning, the Palouse could see a low of 9 below zero (minus 25 with the wind chill) while the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley could get down to 2 below zero (minus 12 with the wind chill).
The extreme cold snap won’t last long, with above-freezing temperatures expected by this weekend.
Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler declared a state of emergency starting Wednesday because of the forecasted severe cold weather. Multnomah County, home to Portland, also has declared an emergency.
The city and the county said they will open four severe weather shelters Wednesday night for as long as conditions require.
Trucks hauled loads of blankets, warm clothes, cots and other shelter supplies from a cavernous warehouse to four shelters being set up, including in the Oregon Convention Center.
The biggest worry is the precipitous drop in temperature expected today in a region where temperatures lower than 25 degrees happen just a few times a year. With wind chill, those living on the streets this could experience temperatures that feel like it’s below zero, said Chris Voss, director of emergency management in Portland’s Multnomah County.
“The Pacific Northwest is really seeing extraordinarily cold temperatures for us,” he said. “I think in my seven and a half years living in the Pacific Northwest and specifically here in my local area, I don’t remember a specific instance where I can remember temperatures quite this low. ... This is absolutely not to be taken lightly.”
Seattle has also opened additional shelter space, including at City Hall, according to King County’s regional homeless authority. Officials said some shelters could remain open until Saturday.
The Seattle area will remain cool the rest of the week, with high temperatures close to freezing and lows in the teens and 20s, the National Weather Service said.
Wind chills as low as 10 degrees below zero have been forecast around Bellingham in northwestern Washington and parts of the northern Cascades from this evening through Friday evening, according to a National Weather Service advisory.
On Tuesday, snowfall and icy conditions disrupted travel across the Pacific Northwest. Authorities have warned that those disruptions will likely continue as the week goes on amid forecasts of freezing rain and snow.
In Canada, the Vancouver Airport Authority said it will be temporarily limiting arriving international flights from Wednesday through Friday morning because of “congestion” in its airfield. The airport said it is prioritizing departures after heavy snow Tuesday prevented “a significant number of aircraft” from taking off from the city’s YVR airport for several hours that day, resulting in mass cancellations.
Improving conditions on Wednesday facilitated some arrivals and departures. Airport officials said they’re preparing for the severe weather expected today, but added that passengers should still expect delays.
While air traffic improved slightly at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on Wednesday, with 53 flights cancelled as of 5 p.m. compared to hundreds the previous day, delays were still affecting about 390 flights, according to online tracker FlightAware.
Road conditions remain dangerous across parts of the region.
In eastern Idaho, nearly 50 miles of U.S. Highway 20, which leads to the western entrance of Yellowstone National Park, have been closed. The state’s department of transportation said the road closure between Ashton and the Montana state line is because of drifting snow, reduced visibility and “extremely hazardous driving conditions.”
In Portland, transportation officials said they covered roads with more than 4,000 gallons of de-icer Tuesday night.
One person died in an accident on Interstate 84 in the Columbia River Gorge on Tuesday when a semi-truck collided with their SUV. The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office said the thin layer of ice on the major highway may have been a contributing factor.
“Significant icing” could affect parts of northwestern Oregon and the Willamette Valley today and Friday, the National Weather Service said. The agency has issued a winter storm watch for those areas, urging residents to prepare for possible power outages, tree damage and difficult travel conditions because of ice.
Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue, whose service area stretches across Portland’s western suburbs and includes rural areas, said it is staffing additional ambulance units to respond to calls for service and preparing to switch from large fire engines to more maneuverable vehicles.
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.”
