(Feb. 12, 2025) The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) advises the traveling public to prepare for freezing temperatures and potential snow and freezing rain starting Thursday morning and continuing through Friday morning. Continued cold temperatures lingering on Friday could make for continued icy conditions, especially in areas at high elevation or east of I-205.
Use extreme caution traveling Thursday morning. Streets and sidewalks will likely be frozen and slick, creating hazardous conditions for all travelers. If possible, delay travel until conditions are safer or consider using public transit. People with the option to work remotely are encouraged to do so.
PBOT has been placing anti-icer on Portland streets nightly, including 2,000 gallons of liquid anti-icer last night so they’re ready for the potential for snow during the Thursday morning commute.
Forecast and timing
The National Weather Service has advised PBOT that a wintry precipitation mix of snow and freezing rain will arrive to Portland on Thursday morning, potentially impacting the commute.
Freezing rain could make surfaces such as sidewalks, streets, and bridges slick and dangerous. Ice also adds weight to trees, which can cause trees or limbs to fall and cause power outages.
Strong easterly winds are also forecast for Wednesday and Thursday, with the highest impacts in East Portland and other areas closer to the Columbia River Gorge.
The forecast has some uncertainty. In the days and hours before a winter storm, forecasts often change. If you are traveling tomorrow morning, adjust your plans to conditions you see in real-time.
Stay up-to-date.
Subscribe to winter weather alerts by email or text:
Subscribe to PBOT Alerts
Get Home Safe
At the first sign of snow or ice, especially if it comes earlier than expected and you are away from home, it’s best to avoid travel:
- Find a safe, warm place to stay and delay your trip. Wait it out at the office, dine at a local restaurant or stay at a hotel to further delay travel. Those options may cost some money, but a citation and tow charges for an abandoned vehicle blocking a travel lane can cost more than $500 — and still require you to walk home in freezing, snowy conditions.
- Be prepared to travel based on the conditions you encounter during your trip. See accumulating snow? Slow down. Carry traction devices like chains and an emergency weather kit in your vehicle. Helpful items to include in addition to chains are a snow shovel, bag of sand, jumper cables, first aid kit, basic tools (pliers, wrench, screwdriver and knife), blanket and warm clothing, extra food and water, cell phone and extra charger, and a flashlight.
- If you do choose to drive and find yourself without traction, move your vehicle away from travel lanes. Any vehicle parked illegally may face a tow, especially any vehicle blocking a travel lane, streetcar tracks or other public transit route. Abandoned vehicles that block travel lanes can slow down emergency responders and the snowplow operators who make safe passage for them.
Additional tips in 10 languages on PBOT’s website:
GET HOME SAFE: Snow and ice travel tips
Freezing rain? Delay your trip, take TriMet
Freezing rain is extremely hazardous. Pedestrians as well as people driving or biking are advised to avoid travel during freezing rain. If you must travel, be prepared to respond to conditions.
Slow down and use extra caution. Be prepared to pull over to park your vehicle and wait for conditions to improve.
Dress warmly and consider wearing shoe cleats, like micro-spikes, to provide traction when walking in icy conditions.
If you can’t delay travel, consider public transit. During winter weather, public transit is a great first option. Be prepared for delays. Check for alerts and changes to transit routes. Maps and schedules available on TriMet and Streetcar websites:
TriMet – Maps & Schedules
Portland Streetcar
Monitor road closures, report hazards
Find all winter-related road closures and chain advisories on PBOT’s website:
Winter weather road closures and chain advisories
Report downed trees. Downed tree or large limb on city property or public streets? Report at 503-823-8733 (TREE). Dispatchers available 24/7. Be patient. To minimize safety risk, Urban Forestry crews clear the largest debris first.
Report road hazards. Call PBOT Maintenance Dispatch 24/7 at 503-823-1700, email pdxroads@portlandoregon.gov, or use PDX Reporter.
Prepare like our crews do
The public should be prepared for worse conditions than forecast, including more snow or ice arriving earlier or later than expected. Forecasts come with uncertainty, and predicting snow in the Portland area can be difficult.
During winter weather, PBOT works to keep vital public transit lines and emergency routes open. These snow and ice routes are the most critical for our city’s police and fire stations, hospitals, schools, frequent bus routes, the downtown core, and major business districts — about a third of our entire street grid.
PBOT’s mission is to provide at least one passable lane in each direction on these routes so that vehicles with front wheel drive or traction devices can get through.
For a full interactive map of our snow and ice routes, and to watch equipment cover the city in real-time, start on PBOT’s website:
Guide to the Winter Weather Center
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