Winter comes to Portland Sunday, December 14, 2008

A couple walks through the South Park Blocks in downtown Portland, Ore., Sunday afternoon as a snowstorm dumped more than 3" of the white stuff on the Rose City. Weather forecasters expect area temperatures to remain below freezing throughout the week.

A severe winter storm slammed into the Northwest Sunday morning, dropping temperatures well below freezing and dumping inches of snow on the area, even down to the valley floors. Additional snow is expected Sunday night, and again on Wednesday or Thursday.

Travel is treacherous as roads across the region are snow-covered and icy. Several sections of major highways and freeways have been closed at different times throughout the day, and ODOT is requiring drivers to use chains or traction tires on all state highways in the Portland area until at least Monday morning.

Most schools in the area will be closed on Monday, and many other events have been postponed or canceled.




The streets of downtown Portland were unusually quiet Sunday afternoon. There were shoppers in the malls, but not as many as one might expect on the next-to-last weekend before Christmas.

[below] The snow does make the holly look good.