Oregon Weather: With Ice in Forecast, Portland Ready to Salt Roads

So, this much is certain - winter weather is coming back to Portland and the surrounding region. It may involve icy roads, power outages, and major transit delays, according to the National Weather Service's Portland Office.

Then again, they say... it may not.

It may just be some rain and snow with wet roads, and a minimal impact.

It's not that they're being coy. It's just sometimes things are complicated.

"During the summer, no one notices when the temperature is 84 degrees when the forecast is 81," they wrote on Facebook. "But when our temperatures are within a few degrees of freezing, that can make all the difference. "

The weather service says that if temperatures are 30 degrees, ice will accumulate on roads, trees, and power lines. But if temperatures are 32 degrees, there will be some icing on trees and power lines but roads will likely be wet as opposed to icy.

However, if temperatures are 33 degrees, a cold rain will fall and little impact can be expected.

The weather service puts it this way: Three degrees can be the difference between high impact and no impact.

As of now, they are seeing chance of flurries Tuesday night with no accumulation.

"The bulk of the system arrives on Thursday, with the South Willamette Valley seeing sleet starting midday and the North Willamette Valley and the Gorge seeing snow starting around the evening commute Thursday evening," they say.

Meanwhile, Portland - which received a lot of criticism to how they responded to storms earlier this month, says they are going to be better prepared.

On Wednesday, transportation commissioner Dan Saltzman announced a series of changes including more use of road salt and expanded snow plow routes by the Portland Bureau of Transportation.

"I share the frustration Portlanders have expressed over recent snowfalls that lingered for far too long,"said Saltzman. "PBOT crews performed admirably during the several storms that covered the city with an exceptional snowfall and record low temperatures. But when slick roads lingered for a week, businesses lost sales and children missed time in class.

"We need a broader strategy to address winter storms, starting this week and continuing into next winter."

Saltzman announced PBOT will take the following steps:

• Use up to 100 tons of road salt on at least three busy corridors to help clear snow and ice. This is the largest use of road salt in the modern history of Portland. It will also help PBOT test the effectiveness of road salt in a variety of locations that could indicate how it may be more effectively used citywide in the future;
• Expand the city’s 1,120 lane miles of plow routes to include up to 340 lane miles of additional public school bus routes. This is a 30 percent increase in the number of lane miles covered by PBOT; and
• Reinstate the requirement for chains or traction tires on West Burnside and SW Sam Jackson Park Road, as conditions warrant. These two routes serving regional hospitals have often been blocked by vehicles that were abandoned when drivers found themselves unprepared for winter conditions. A first-time implementation of this requirement in January resulted in far fewer abandoned vehicles. Drivers who ignore this requirement will be subject to a citation by Portland Police in the amount of $160.

Saltzman said the city is already taking steps to plan for next winter, including:

• Negotiating a Mutual Aid Agreement with the Seattle Department of Transportation that would make it easier and faster for the two cities to share resources in response to severe winter weather events.
• Seeking information from the private sector about potential plows and other resources the city could hire to address winter storms. A formal Request for Information is being prepared to send to the contracting community, so companies can describe what services they may be able to provide in future storms.
• Working with the Portland Water Bureau to see if their planned equipment purchases could include trucks that could accommodate a snow plow attachment, as PBOT dump trucks are equipped currently.

As for what happens next, keep checking with Patch for the latest.

Images via National Weather Service's Portland Office