What to expect with Tuesday night’s ice storm around Portland, Vancouver
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Freezing rain is already starting to push into parts of Oregon and ice will accumulate through Tuesday night and into Wednesday morning.
This latest round of winter weather comes just days after snow, ice, wind, and rain moved through the greater Portland, Vancouver area. That means freezing surfaces are prone to more ice accumulation as rain falls overnight.
Tuesday evening’s ice accumulation around Portland
Freezing rain will continue to fall over Portland. This is due to a warm, moisture-filled storm pushing up and over the arctic air that remains near the surface. The light snow showers that started this latest round of winter weather will quickly turn to rain by sunset. Temperatures near the surface will continue to sit below freezing, allowing for a layer of ice to develop.
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Ice accumulation could be near a half inch in some locations along the Willamette Valley, including the Portland and Vancouver metro areas.
The light dusting of snow seen at the start of this storm will be buried under a layer of ice.
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Road impacts
Roads will remain extremely hazardous Tuesday night through Wednesday morning. Temperatures are expected to slowly climb above freezing during the mid-morning hours Wednesday. Some locations will warm faster than others. Ice and snow will melt slowly, leaving behind a layer of slick slush for much of the day Wednesday. This also comes as rain continues to actively fall through the day.
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What to expect Tuesday night
Power outages, broken tree limbs, and burst pipes remain a possibility. Winds will gust close to 20-30 mph through the evening and overnight hours Tuesday into Wednesday. Windy conditions combined with the weight of the ice on trees will stress both limbs and powerlines.
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Expected another round of widespread power outages and burst pipes to last through Wednesday. The leaking or burst pipe will continue as temperatures warm above freezing through the next several days.
Stay with KOIN 6 News as we continue our coverage on this Arctic blast.
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