Salem-News.com Winter articles

Former NASCAR Crew Chief Larry McReynolds Warns That Poor Car Maintenance Could Wreck Your Wallet (VIDEO)

Larry shares simple tips to help keep vehicles running smoothly during winter months.

(SALEM, Ore.) - Car accidents usually occur because someone has done something wrong while driving. The mistake could be something silly, like scraping the curb or it could be something more serious, like brake failure. One of the most common causes of car accidents is poor car maintenance.

Former NASCAR Crew Chief, Larry McReynolds tells our viewers the critical things they should do to keep their vehicles up and running during the winter months.

Harsh Weather Expected in NW Mountains

Since 1990, King County has experienced 11 federally declared flood disasters—an average of one every two years.

(OLYMPIA, Wash.) - The Olympics, North Cascades and Oregon coast are being slammed this week by a classic example of a “pineapple express” storm– a narrow plume of warm, wet air drawn northward from the tropics. Rainfall in the Olympics, Willapa Hills, and North Cascades is expected to reach 5-10 inches.

“Olympic rivers will flood and there is a strong possibility of flood downstream of the N. Cascades (e.g., Nooksack).”

Tornado Touches Down Damaging Oregon Beachfront Houses

Forecasters say large swells generated by the storm will continue impacting the beaches along the West Coast through the rest of the weekend.

(LINCOLN CITY, Ore.) - 20 to 30 coastal homes were damaged Thursday night as a tornado slammed into the Oregon coast. The raging storm turned extremely violent at 9:54 p.m.

Oceanfront houses at Roads End, a community just north of Lincoln City, took the brunt of the damage, as the accompanying photo by local resident David Skirvin, shows the result of the storm damage.

Travel Hazards Due to Heavy Rain and Street Flooding

A current list of weather-related road and safety issues for Portland residents to have in mind.

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - Heavy rain and wind are creating a number of driving hazards in the Portland metro area. The Portland Bureau of Transportation Maintenance Operations crews are responding to reports of street flooding, high standing water at corners, clogged catch basins, and drainage problems throughout the city.

The following are listed closures and problems that residents need to be aware of a pay close attention to.

Precautions Necessary During Winter Storm Season

In the Northwest, heavy winter storms can wreck havoc on electrical systems. Trees are especially prone to being blown over by winds after heavy rains have saturated the ground.

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - With storm season upon us, Pacific Power is reminding its customers and the public to take precautions.

"We work hard to avoid outages, but when bad weather strikes and outages happen, we work even harder to get the power back on quickly and safely," said Bill Eaquinto, vice president, operations.

Volunteers Sought For Red Cross Emergency Warming Center

The Oregon Trail Chapter's emergency warming center will only be open in extreme weather, when triggers determined by the City of Portland are met.

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - While this week's weather may be blustery, now's the time to start planning for the freezing temperatures Portland will see in the coming months.

Lise Harwin with the Oregon Trail Chapter of the American Red Cross, says volunteers are now being recruited to staff an emergency warming center that will serve our city's homeless population during extreme weather. The Oregon Trail Chapter of the American Red Cross has planned a number of orientation sessions.

President Obama Signs Illinois, Oregon and Washington Major Disaster Declarations‏

FEMA said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the states and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

(WASHINGTON D.C.) - The President today declared major disasters exist in the States of Illinois, Oregon and Washington.

Federal aid is order to supplement State and local recovery efforts in the areas struck by severe winter storms.

Oregon Snow May Fall to Sea Level At The Beach (VIDEO)

Sticking snow will continue Above 500 Feet tonight and Thursday as a cold low pressure system moves into the Pacific Northwest, below 500 feet snow showers can be expected but little or no accumulation is expected.

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - A steady onshore flow of moisture combined with cold temperatures in the upper levels of the atmosphere continue to be the trigger for snow across the Cascades and Sierra Nevada.

Accuweather.com reports that by tonight, a foot or more of new snow will have fallen across the Washington and Oregon Cascades, while a general 3-6 inches of new snow is forecast for the mountains of northern California and northern parts of the Sierra Nevada above 5,000 feet.

Black Ice Alert for Tonight and Tomorrow Morning

Black ice is treacherous because it is almost invisible to the naked eye. It is ice that remains on roadways that do not get direct sunlight.

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - A warm frontal system gave the Portland metropolitan area a mix of snow and rain this morning and afternoon. Snow and rain showers may continue on and off through the rest of the day.

Accumulations of snow are expected to be light, with more accumulations in the higher elevations. Once the snows end, travelers are advised of the potential for black ice tonight and tomorrow morning.

City Winter Storm Damage Cleanup Continues

City staff say they appreciate the patience of residents as Parks Operations employees work through their list of reported tree damage incidents.

(SALEM, Ore.) - This past winter weather has been a unique challenge to the City and it’s Parks Operations Division, officials with the city report.

The snow, ice and wind storms have left many fallen trees, downed limbs, and broken limbs still in trees throughout the city. The cleanup from damaged City trees along streets and in parks is expected to continue for the next few months.

Salem officials say numerous citizens have expressed interest in cutting up fallen street or park trees for fire wood.