Winter Storms
This web page broadly identifies and describes the winter storm hazard that Oregon faces. It also highlights previous plans, assessment tools, and resources that have been developed to identify, profile and assess the vulnerability of risk from winter storm events in Oregon.
This broadly defined hazard category includes snow, ice, and prolonged or extreme cold that disrupt vital systems and threaten lives and property. Heavy snow accumulations can immobilize a region and paralyze a city, stranding commuters, stopping the flow of supplies, and disrupting emergency and medical services. Ice storms can be accompanied by high winds, and they have similar impacts, especially to trees, power lines, and residential utility services. These events can affect many areas of the state where snow, ice, and prolonged cold temperatures exist during the winter.
Winter storms occur annually in Oregon bringing snow to Oregon’s mountains and to much of Eastern Oregon. These winter storms are welcomed by Oregon’s skiers and the ski industry and are tolerated by those people traveling the numerous mountain passes and Eastern Oregon highways kept open during the winter by the Oregon Department of Transportation. Approximately every four years, winter storms bring extreme cold temperatures, snow, sleet and ice to Oregon’s western valley floors. Because these storms are infrequent and tend to last only a few days, residents in Western Oregon are often unprepared for such events.
Based upon local hazard analyses, the Northern Willamette Valley/Portland Metro Region and the Mid/Southern Willamette Region are most vulnerable to damage and loss associated with winter storms because Oregon’s most densely populated cities are located within these regions. The Portland metropolitan area is the most vulnerable not only because it is the most densely populated but also because of its proximity to the Columbia River Gorge. It is not uncommon to have severe ice and sleet storms occurring as cold artic winds blow down the Gorge over east Multnomah County and Portland. These storms have delayed air traffic and even closed the Portland International Airport in the past, thus negatively affecting Oregon’s economy. Winter storms often bring ice and sleet that makes driving extremely dangerous. Ice and sleet storms can cripple the movement of goods and services, thus negatively impacting Oregon’s economy.
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WINTER STORM STATE RESOURCES:
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WINTER STORM INTERNET RESOURCES:
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Oregon Regional Risk Assessment
The state’s risk assessment is divided into eight geographic regions to provide a locally appropriate analysis of risk. Included are: a regional profile and maps, event history, and an analysis of the probability of and vulnerability to future events. While the hazard assessments do not have sections to specifically cover the threat from dust storm events, some dust storm events are documented in the windstorm sections of these assessments.
The interactive viewer visually displays perceived vulnerability per hazard for each county in Oregon, which allows communities and the state to compare the vulnerability of hazards across regions.
Winter Storms Chapter: State Plan The Winter Storms chapter of the state Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan provides a characterization of winter storms in Oregon. Additionally, the chapter describes current state programs and strategies, highlights successes in mitigation, and proposes short and long-term actions for future mitigation in the state. |
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Maintained by:
Oregon Partnership for Disaster Resilience
Community Service Center
University of Oregon
Last Updated 07/02/2007