Portland's streets turned into a frosty hazard Wednesday as an ice storm clamped down on the Willamette Valley, compelling residents like Brandt Bechard to don hockey gear and glide through the Foster-Powell neighborhood as though it were a winter wonderland. Unusual though it may seem, Bechard took to the icy streets at 8 in the morning, carving out time for an impromptu hockey practice and capturing the frigid moment on camera to show his father in Maine the chill embracing the West Coast, KOIN reported.
Commuters were warned to brace for perilous conditions across the city. Roads remained slick despite the ice transitioning to rain, which was expected between 10 a.m. and noon, National Weather Service meteorologist David Bishop informed in a statement captured by The Seattle Times. The thawing, especially in shaded or elevated areas, was projected to lag, prolonging the icy grip on Portland's thoroughfares.
While many reveled in the temporary winter sports paradise, others endured the grimmer side of the ice storm's onslaught. Schools shuttered, bus services cut back, and warming shelters opened their doors wide to those in need as authorities flagged the risk of treacherous roads and additional power failures. Continuing the struggle from a previous weekend storm, crews scrambled to bring back electricity for thousands left in the dark, OPB detailed.
In anticipation of a messy transition from ice to asphalt, Oregon Department of Transportation spokesperson Don Hamilton advised residents to avoid travel Wednesday morning. This would give trucks and plows the needed leeway to treat the roads with de-icers. "When you see a transition like that, it doesn’t happen instantly," Hamilton stated, according to a Seattle Times interview. Reflecting the turmoil, 47 miles of Interstate 84 shut down due to the threat looming over the vital east-west corridor. Meanwhile, parts of Oregon were submarined under advisories for up to an inch of ice accumulation, with the Cascades bracing for heavy snow and gusty winds as noted by the National Weather Service.
