NOTE: This report will be updated through the morning for the latest developments.
Salem endured freezing rain and snow overnight, with the temperature dipped to 21 by 10:30 p.m. and hovered in the mid-20s through the night. At 5 a.m., McNary Field was reporting 25 degrees and winds of 5 mph.
Friday morning, Salem woke to closures, canceled bus routes and icy sidewalks.
But, the region is predicted to warm up overnight. The Weather Service forecasts the temperature rising to 44 degrees by 3 a.m. Saturday morning. Temperatures will climb into the 50s after that, with a mild and rainy forecast for Christmas Day.
UPDATE 3:45 p.m. Friday
(Salem temperature 30 degrees, McNary Field)
Temperatures are expected to warm to above freezing across the region by Saturday morning. The Columbia River Gorge will be the exception for Northern Oregon, with freezing rain through Sunday, according to the National Weather Service in Portland.
The Winter Weather Advisory will be in place for the Greater Portland Metro Area until 2 a.m. on Saturday.
UPDATE 12:25 p.m. Friday
(Salem temperature 30 degrees, McNary Field)
Portland General Electric reported an outage affecting 223 customers in the Morningside area in south Salem just before noon Friday. The cause was high winds. The outage was no longer listed as of 3 p.m.
Interstate 84 is closed in both directions from Troutdale to Hood River due to severe weather.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office said this morning it was continuing to see crashes and vehicles off the road. The agency is reporting closures on:
- Highway 18, east of Grand Ronde to the coast
- Highway 51 (Independence Highway) north of the Greenwood Road, Highway 51 intersection
- East Ellendale Avenue and Highway 223, from Fir Villa Road to Rickreall Road
Check your route on city cameras for Salem routes, or on TripCheck for a statewide map.
Salem Health is seeing patients with injuries related to falls from walking on ice, according to spokeswoman Lisa Wood.
Patients with scheduled appointments at selected Salem Health Clinics have been rescheduled to virtual care visits. Urgent care locations remain open as of 12:39 p.m. according to Wood.
“Salem Health proactively implemented emergency operations protocols to ensure the inclement weather conditions will not disrupt operations at the Salem Hospital campus,” Wood said.
The following Salem Health labs are closed on Friday:
- Salem Health Clinic – Keizer
- Salem Health Clinic – Edgewater
- Salem Health Clinic – Uglow
- Salem Health Clinic – Boulder Creek (closing at 2:00 p.m.)
- Salem Health Clinic – Woodburn
- Salem Health Clinic – Independence
- Salem Health Clinic – Monmouth (lab is closed, clinic is open)
UPDATE 11:16 a.m. Friday
(Salem temperature 28 degrees, McNary Field)
The ARCHES Project had 92 guests at its warming shelter Thursday night, 17 over the official capacity of 75 for the site at Salem First Presbyterian Church, according to Robert Marshal, emergency manager.
“No one seeking an emergency warming shelter bed was turned away,” Marshall said.
Outreach teams worked until 9 p.m. Thursday and will continue Friday connecting people to the warming shelter and delivering warm weather supplies.
Marshall said items such as handwarmers, gloves, warm weather hats and socks are in high demand during the winter, as well as volunteering. People interested in volunteering can can fill out a volunteer interest form at https://arcg.is/1ObKTL0, sign up on ARCHES’ website or email [email protected].
Donations of hats, socks, gloves, and hand warmers are needed. People can can drop those items off at the ARCHES Day Center, 615 Commercial St. N.E., Monday-Saturday 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
The U.S. Postal Service is asking homeowners and businesses to clear sidewalks, walkways and steps of ice and snow for safe mail delivery. Spokeswoman Lecia Hall said Friday the postal service will attempt to deliver to all addresses “as long as it is safe to do so.”
If weather conditions allow, Hall said post offices will be open on Christmas Eve as last-minute holiday packages go out. “Every Salem postal employee is working every available hour now through Christmas day. It is our desire to get every package home for the holidays,” she said.
Updates on weather impacts to FedEx service can be found online.
UPDATE 10:15 a.m. Friday
(Salem temperature 28 degrees, McNary Field)
All in-person city of Salem services are closed Friday, the city announced. Those include the Salem Public Library, Center 50+, customer service center, permit application center, Salem Housing Authority and municipal court offices.
All essential services, including police, fire, public works, and medical services will continue to operate, the city said in a news release.
UPDATE 9:15 a.m. Friday
(Salem temperature 27 degrees, McNary Field)
Marion County is closing all offices Friday due to weather conditions, though the county’s public safety, emergency services and public works employees will continue to work.
The National Weather Service has extended its winter storm warning until 4 p.m. for Salem, saying the region will see freezing rain until 2 p.m., then rain or freezing rain until 3 p.m., followed by more rain. Daytime ice accumulation of up to 0.1 inch is possible.
Winds are forecasted to remain light, and utilities are not reporting major power outages in the Salem area.
Salem Public Library is closed Friday.
Cherriots regular service is suspended for the day. Regular service will resume Saturday, Dec. 24.
UPDATE 7:30 a.m. Friday
(Salem temperature 27 degrees, McNary Field)
From Cherriots: “Due to worsening road conditions, Cherriots is temporarily suspending service on all Local and Regional routes. Cherriots LIFT is providing life sustaining services only.” For the latest, watch the alert page on the Cherriots website HERE.
The Marion County Sheriff’s Office is urging people to stay off the roads.
“We are receiving information of multiple different crashes throughout our county, due to very icy conditions. Our deputies response could be delayed to assist, so please DO NOT drive unless absolutely necessary. Thank you,” the sheriff’s office posted on Facebook around 7 a.m.
Marion Polk Food Share is canceling Meals on Wheels deliveries and closing its office and warehouse, spokesman Sam Tenney said. Many of the food pantries the food share supplies are also closing; a list is available on the food share website.
The Salem Public Library will open late, tentatively at noon, the city said on Facebook.
The city said garbage haulers are monitoring conditions and will call affected customers if they cancel or delay routes. Those that cancel will pick up extra trash at no charge on the next service day. Due to the Christmas holiday, haulers won’t pick up over the weekend.
UPDATE 6 a.m. Friday
(Salem temperature 23 degrees, McNary Field)
The city of Salem reports: “In south Salem, the roads, sidewalks, and other surfaces are coated with a mix of sleet and freezing rain. If you can, please stay off the roads this morning. Conditions are expected to improve throughout the day and, if the weather forecast holds, we should warm above freezing late in the afternoon (around 4 p.m.) and continue to get warmer tomorrow. Traveling north or east will be worse than conditions here in Salem.”
FRIDAY CLOSURES
-Regular Cherriots service suspended for Friday; resuming Saturday, Dec. 24
-All Salem-Keizer School District programs
-All state government offices in the Salem area, which includes Marion, Polk, Yamhill, Linn and Benton counties, as well as Portland area
-Oregon Office of Public Defense Services in Salem, operating remotely
-Oregon State Capitol
-All Family Building Blocks offices
-Marion County Circuit Court
-Marion County Health & Human Services
-Center 50+
-Marion Polk Food Share office and warehouse, and Meals on Wheels deliveries
-Withnell Family YMCA closed
-Marion Polk Food Share pop-up pantry in west Salem and AWARE Food Bank in Woodburn
-Institute of Technology in Salem
-Oregon Humane Society’s Salem campus. Adoption appointments are being rescheduled and all training classes are cancelled.
-Gilbert House Children’s Museum
-CASA of Marion County office
-YMCA opening late at 11 a.m., preschool closed
-Salem Public Library is closed. All other city offices also closed for in-person work.
-Magic at the Mill canceled for Friday night
-Tuba Holiday has been canceled Saturday night.
-The Silverton Christmas Market has been canceled Friday night.
ROAD CONDITIONS
Interstate 84 closed Thursday night between Troutdale and Hood River and was still closed Friday morning.
To check your route: Oregon Tripcheck
POWER
PGE and Salem Electric websites show no outages in the Salem area.
To report an outage:
PGE: 503-399-7717
Salem Electric: 503-362-3601
INFORMATION TO SHARE?
Please send closures, road reports and your photos by email to Managing Editor Rachel Alexander at [email protected].
JUST THE FACTS, FOR SALEM – We report on your community with care and depth, fairness and accuracy. Get local news that matters to you. Subscribe to Salem Reporter. Click I want to subscribe!
Les Zaitz is editor and CEO of Salem Reporter. He co-founded the news organization in 2018. He has been a journalist in Oregon for nearly 50 years in both daily and community newspapers and digital news services. He is nationally recognized for his commitment to local journalism. He also is editor and publisher of the Malheur Enterprise in Vale, Oregon.
