A deep freeze settled over Oregon on Saturday, making travel perilous, knocking out power to thousands and sending hundreds of people into emergency shelters.
Fierce winds and snow flurries ushered in the region’s first major winter storm of 2024, bringing the Portland area to a near-standstill.
And it’s not over. Temperatures in the metro area are not expected to climb above freezing until Wednesday.
Across Portland, between 1 and 3 inches of snow fell, though the bigger hazards appeared to be from high winds and extreme cold. Multnomah County officials said they were investigating one death on Saturday due to hypothermia but released few details. Two people were killed by falling trees in separate incidents: a tree fell on a home in Lake Oswego and on an RV in Southeast Portland.
A woman in her 30s died in the RV when the tree fell on it and trapped her inside. Fire officials said four people in the RV were using an open flame stove to keep warm when the tree fell, and that set the rig on fire. Three people managed to escape.
Snow in Portland
Sunday is expected to be mostly dry with milder winds, with a high near 28 degrees and a low near 17.
On Saturday, the Oregon Department of Transportation said conditions, which include whipping snow and freezing rain, “are rapidly changing everywhere,” said spokesperson Kacey Davey.
“The precipitation is here and it’s coming down in many different forms,” she said.
During a 3 p.m. update, ODOT spokesperson Mindy McCartt urged drivers to stay off the roads. A half-dozen vehicles in the ODOT fleet across the state had been hit by other drivers as they worked to clear roads, she said. She shared reports of vehicles driving over downed power lines and passing operating snow plows on the right – both these practices are dangerous, and the latter is illegal.
TriMet suspended all of its light-rail MAX service Saturday afternoon. Buses were still operating with chains, though riders should expect delays and detours, transit officials said.
The high temperature around Portland hovered around 20 degrees Saturday but felt much colder due to the wind. The coldest Dec. 14 was 16 degrees on Jan. 31, 1950, since since records started being kept at the Portland International Airport in October 1940.
Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson declared a state of emergency on Friday, opening five severe weather shelters and adding beds at an existing year-round shelter. As of Saturday, county officials said nearly 350 people sought shelter overnight.
Another 59 checked into Washington County’s two emergency shelters, according to a county spokesperson. Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler also declared a state of emergency Saturday, allowing expedited response to the storm.
A large tree fell onto a parked car in Southeast Portland on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. The Portland area saw high winds and temperatures in the teens. Downed trees caused damage and power outages around the region.
Power companies reported outages around the metro area.
NW Natural, the Portland area’s natural gas utility, asked customers to temporarily lower their thermostat settings and limit hot water usage due to increased demand during the storm.
Portland General Electric said about 155,000 customers were without power at around 5 p.m., as dusk fell, with at least 3,300 total outages reported. The utility warned that it was “experiencing interruptions to our phone service,” making it more difficult for customers to report outages and said it was working to get that service back up quickly. In the meantime, customers should go online to report outages, the utility’s website said.
“This is a very dynamic day. We have really high winds and really cold temperatures,” said PGE spokesperson John Farmer.
Pacific Power, which serves a smaller customer base in Oregon, reported 271 outages affecting about 43,000 customers as of Saturday afternoon, including outages that stretched from Astoria to Ashland.
A large downed tree on S.E. Troutdale Road.
Snow blankets the street on W Burnside in Portland. The Portland area saw high winds and temperatures in the teens on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. Downed trees caused damage and power outages around the region.
Interstate 84 near the Lloyd District was mostly empty of traffic during a snow storm on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024.
Interstate 84 near the Lloyd District was mostly empty of traffic during a snow storm on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024.
Westmoreland Park is frosted with snow and ice on Saturday, Jan. 13. 2024.
Westmoreland Park is frosted with snow and ice on Saturday, Jan. 13. 2024.
Westmoreland Park is frosted with snow and ice on Saturday, Jan. 13. 2024.
Westmoreland Park is frosted with snow and ice on Saturday, Jan. 13. 2024.
Snow blankets the street on W Burnside in Portland. The Portland area saw high winds and temperatures in the teens on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. Downed trees caused damage and power outages around the region.
A snowplow heads east on W Burnside St. in Portland. The Portland area saw high winds and temperatures in the teens on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. Downed trees caused damage and power outages around the region.
The Portland area saw high winds and temperatures in the teens on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. Downed trees caused damage and power outages around the region.
The Portland area saw high winds and temperatures in the teens on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. Downed trees caused damage and power outages around the region.
The Portland area saw high winds and temperatures in the teens on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. Downed trees caused damage and power outages around the region.
The Portland area saw high winds and temperatures in the teens on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. Downed trees caused damage and power outages around the region.
The Portland area saw high winds and temperatures in the teens on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. Downed trees caused damage and power outages around the region.
The Portland area saw high winds and temperatures in the teens on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. Downed trees caused damage and power outages around the region.
The Portland area saw high winds and temperatures in the teens on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. Downed trees caused damage and power outages around the region.
The Portland area saw high winds and temperatures in the teens on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. Downed trees caused damage and power outages around the region.
The Portland area saw high winds and temperatures in the teens on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. Downed trees caused damage and power outages around the region.
A large tree fell onto a parked car in southeast Portland on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. The Portland area saw high winds and temperatures in the teens. Downed trees caused damage and power outages around the region.
The Portland area saw high winds and temperatures in the teens on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. Downed trees caused damage and power outages around the region.
The Portland area saw high winds and temperatures in the teens on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. Downed trees caused damage and power outages around the region.
The Portland area saw high winds and temperatures in the teens on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. Downed trees caused damage and power outages around the region.
A large tree fell onto a parked car in near Southeast 13th Avenue and Belmont Street in Portland on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. The Portland area saw high winds and temperatures in the teens. Downed trees caused damage and power outages around the region.
A large tree fell onto a parked car in southeast Portland on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. The Portland area saw high winds and temperatures in the teens. Downed trees caused damage and power outages around the region.
The Portland area saw high winds and temperatures in the teens on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. Downed trees caused damage and power outages around the region.
The Portland area saw high winds and temperatures in the teens on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. Downed trees caused damage and power outages around the region.
The Portland area saw high winds and temperatures in the teens on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. Downed trees caused damage and power outages around the region.
The Portland area saw high winds and temperatures in the teens on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. Downed trees caused damage and power outages around the region.
The Portland area saw high winds and temperatures in the teens on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. Downed trees caused damage and power outages around the region.
The Portland area saw high winds and temperatures in the teens on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. Downed trees caused damage and power outages around the region.
The Portland area saw high winds and temperatures in the teens on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. Downed trees caused damage and power outages around the region.
The Portland area saw high winds and temperatures in the teens on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. Downed trees caused damage and power outages around the region.
The Portland area saw high winds and temperatures in the teens on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. Downed trees caused damage and power outages around the region.
The Portland area saw high winds and temperatures in the teens on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. Downed trees caused damage and power outages around the region.
The Portland area saw high winds and temperatures in the teens on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. Downed trees caused damage and power outages around the region.
Snow and some cars on the road in NE Portland at the intersection of Sandy and 28th.
Snow and some cars on the road in NE Portland at the intersection of Sandy and 28th.
A tree fell on an empty PPB car. No one was inside the car, according to a tweet from Portland Police Bureau. Officers were responding to a call at SE 76th and Morrison.
To prepare for potential outages, experts suggest assembling a “outage kit” with a flashlight or headlamps, a battery-powered radio and clock, extra batteries, bottled water and car chargers to keep devices working. Turn off or unplug all appliances to protect them from a surge when power is restored, and keep the refrigerator and freezer doors shut to preserve food.
Check in with family and friends, too, especially elderly or infirm neighbors, to make sure they are staying safe, Farmer said.
Reporters Julia Silverman and Samantha Swindler contributed to this report.
