Banks, Timber, Weather

More winter weather expected over weekend

A new traffic camera sprouted up overnight in Timber, showing road conditions approximately every three minutes on Timber Road at Railroad Ave. The listed elevation is incorrect; USGS maps show the location here to be closer to 1000′

A layer of ice and snow blanketed the region overnight, and there’s more coming in the forecast.

The city of Banks closed early Thursday, and is closed Friday, while the Banks School District and Roy’s St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School also announced Friday was a snow day. Check out the ongoing list of closures here.

The Banks area is under a Winter Storm Warning until at least 4 p.m. Saturday.

Forecasters with the Portland branch of the National Weather Service have said that a second wave of various forms of frozen precipitation are coming Friday night. Specifically, forecasters believe that “significant freezing rain accumulations” are likely for the Coast Range.

“Freezing rain, sleet and some snow will persist to the west and south of downtown Portland,” the agency said.

West of Portland may see less snow than areas closer to the Gorge, with one to three inches expected Friday.

Forecasters continue to tweak the expected weather, so keep an eye on your favorite weather app, because conditions and forecasts are likely to change by the time you read this.

Power outages due to wind and ice, slick roads, and cold temperatures are all hazards noted by the weather agency during the winter storm.

“Plan on snow-covered roads, and be prepared with things like a flash light, blanket, water and snacks in your vehicle in case you slide off the road and may have to wait for help to arrive,” the Banks Fire District said in a social media post prior to the start of the storm.

Check road conditions on state highways at Tripcheck; visit wc-roads.com for county-maintained roads. This reporter noted that a new Washington County traffic camera appears to have been added overnight in Timber at Railroad Ave.

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Chas Hundley is the editor of the Banks Post and sister news publications the Gales Creek Journal and the Salmonberry Magazine. He grew up in Gales Creek and has a cat.

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