PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Rain showers are expected to transition to below-freezing temperatures and possibly snow by Wednesday – and that could create a problem with it comes to Oregon Department of Transportation crews placing de-icer on the roads.
ODOT said it avoids putting de-icer down when it knows rain is coming because the rain will wash the product off the road.
Here’s the latest KOIN 6 Weather forecast
So, when the rain transitions directly to snow and ice, ODOT doesn’t have much of a chance to use de-icer.
Don Hamilton, a spokesperson for ODOT, said crews will be watching the forecast carefully to see if there are any opportunities where the roads are dry and they can use the product.
“Winter maintenance is really as much art as it is science and we’ve got tools and teams out there right now trying to figure out what to do and anticipating the storm that’s coming and to see what’s on the way,” he said.
They’re particularly monitoring higher elevations and areas known to be impacted the most by winter weather, places like the West Hills, the Sylvan area and the Sunset Highway, the roads leading to the Cascades, the Coast Range and Interstate 84.
De-icer is one of the few tools ODOT can use to help keep roads drivable before a storm hits, but Hamilton said if they don’t have the chance to spray it on, they’ll use plows, sand and salt to help make the roads more safe to drive.
ODOT can use de-icer after temperatures drop below freezing. So even during the cold snap, if precipitation isn’t falling, de-icer can be used.
Hamilton said people should avoid driving if they can in wintry weather. Anyone who does venture out should be aware of ODOT crews on the road and allow them space to do their job.
“The more that they can make way for our crews out on the road, the better the roads are going to get cleared and the better we’re going to make sure that we can get the roads safe,” he said.
Drivers should use TripCheck.com to check for crashes and road conditions before leaving home. Some of the cameras on the website include information on the temperature and elevation in the area.
In Portland and the surrounding area, snow showers or a rain-snow mix could move in late Tuesday night or Wednesday morning. Temperatures could cool throughout the day Wednesday, allowing more chances of snow Wednesday evening.
KOIN 6 News Meteorologist Kelley Bayern does not expect widespread snow throughout the city, but anticipates on-and-off “pockets” of snow in the evening. That could continue briefly into Thursday before the weather dries out.