Oregon braces for freezing rain while cold temperatures elsewhere strain electric grids
Parts of Oregon braced for freezing rain Tuesday after a weekend of extreme winds knocked down trees and cut power to thousands, while communities across the U.S. also struggled with perilously cold weather that closed schools and put electricity supplies at risk.
Another day of record cold temperatures swept much of the Rockies, Great Plains and Midwest, with wind chills below minus 30 (-34.4 Celsius) extending into the mid-Mississippi Valley. On the East Coast, meanwhile, New York City and Philadelphia ended a drought of sorts with enough snow falling for play in both cities.
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More than 80,000 U.S. homes and businesses were without power by Tuesday afternoon, most of them in Oregon. Portland General Electric warned that freezing rain could delay restoration efforts. Tennessee Valley Authority, which provides electricity in seven states, asked customers to voluntarily cut back, citing a high demand for power because of the cold. A similar plea came from the grid operator in Texas.
Schools were closed in Portland, Oregon, and other major cities, including Chicago, Detroit, Denver, Dallas, Houston, Memphis, Tennessee, across New England and in the Washington, D.C., region. Federal offices in the nation’s capital were closed as roughly 2 inches (5.08 centimeters) of snow hit the area.
The National Weather Service posted an ice storm warning in parts of Oregon, including Portland, until Wednesday when temperatures were expected to rise to 43 degrees (6.11 degrees C).
“Power outages and tree damage are likely due to the ice. Travel could be difficult,” the weather service said.
Rough weather was a challenge across the U.S. More than 2 feet (60 centimeters) of snow covered southeast Alaska, sinking six boats in Juneau and causing avalanches. Three of the six boats were saved.
More than 9 inches (23 centimeters) of snow hit Nashville, Tennessee, since Sunday — nearly twice the annual average. Maeve McConville said she and her sister were stuck inside an American Airlines plane at the Nashville airport for seven hours Monday after arriving from Washington.
