Ice storm warning for Salem: stay indoors or risk your life

Update, Thursday, Feb. 13, 6 a.m.: All Salem-Keizer School District schools are closed Thursday, including the online EDGE program and district offices.

Original story:

As an ice storm looms, the National Weather Service is urging people in Salem and much of the Willamette Valley not to drive in the coming days to avoid what it described as life-threatening road conditions. 

“Travel is strongly discouraged, unless it is an emergency. If you leave the safety of being indoors, you are putting your life at risk,” the agency said in its ice storm warning just after 3 p.m. Wednesday.

The warning will be in effect from 10 p.m. Wednesday to 4 a.m. Friday. In the Salem area, the ice storm is expected to begin around 4 a.m. to 6 a.m. Thursday, according to Hannah Chandler-Cooley, a meteorologist with the weather service.

She said Salem residents could see freezing rain mixed with snow starting in the early hours of the storm and lasting through Friday afternoon.

The warning Wednesday afternoon showed a heightened intensity from the weather service’s early morning forecast. Chandler-Cooley that’s due to several factors, including a slight increase in the overall precipitation expected.

The weather service said it expects snow accumulation up to 1 inch and ice accumulation up to 3/10 of an inch. 

The conditions will impact the central and southern Willamette Valley, as well as central Oregon coast range and its lowlands.

The weather service warned that roads, especially bridges and overpasses, will likely become slick and dangerous. The agency said walking surfaces will also be icy and slick, and urged people to use extra caution if they need to walk outdoors.

Chandler-Cooley said there is potential for ice buildup on trees and power lines. “We are definitely strongly encouraging people to be prepared for power outages,” she said.

CLOSURES:

The Salem YMCA is closed.

State government offices in Salem and Portland will open at 10 a.m. Thursday. This does not apply to the Oregon Legislature.

The Salem-Keizer School District and city of Salem will make a decision about closing offices early Thursday morning, officials said.

OUTAGES: View electric outages for Portland General Electric, Salem Electric and Pacific Power. Downed lines should not be touched and any outages should be reported to the electric company, according to the weather service. 

WARMING SHELTERS: 

Salem First Presbyterian Church plans to open each night this week that is below freezing, warming center coordinator Sue Crothers told Salem Reporter Monday. The shelter space is at 770 Chemeketa St. N.E. and opens from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. 

Seed of Faith’s shelter will be open Wednesday, according to the Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency’s website. It’s located at 1230 Winter St. N.E. and will open from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m.

Along with a place to sleep, guests at Salem warming shelters will be offered a full warm meal and food for their pets.

For pre-recorded, up-to-date information about warming shelter openings, call Community Action at 971-304-9211.

Cherriots offers free transportation to and from warming shelters, and there will be shuttles from the ARCHES Day Center to its partner shelters. 

Contact reporter Ardeshir Tabrizian: [email protected] or 503-929-3053.

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