Published: January 10,2017
Winter Storm Iras
continues to bring a wintry mess to much of the Midwest after dumping
more than a foot of snow in some locations of the Pacific Northwest and
the Rockies and leaving at least two dead. In Minnesota, several
counties have advised residents not to travel due to the wintry
conditions.
A woman in Portland
died from exposure, the AP also reported, and a man was killed in a
wreck on I-90 in Washington, where numerous wrecks were reported over
the weekend.
Further west, the storm dumped at
least 25 inches of snow in Mammoth Lakes, California, while in Colorado,
an estimated 18.2 inches fell in the higher terrain near Steamboat
Springs. In Idaho, 12 inches fell in Haily, while Montana saw 6.5
inches.
Further
west, an estimated 20 inches fell on Paulina, Oregon. Cle Elum,
Washington, recorded 14 inches, while Nevada saw 5 inches near Incline
Village.
The winter storm is being blamed for a
number of crashes, and the westbound lanes of Interstate 84 from Ontario
to La Grande in Oregon were closed Monday, according to the Associated
Press.
North Dakota
The North
American Ice Fishing Circuit national qualifying tournament at Lake
Metigoshe was disrupted Sunday when participants were unable to use
vehicles to move from one fishing area of the lake to the other due to
snow.
"When you've got this much snow on the
lake, there's no trail systems," Devils Lake Perch Patrol guide Zippy
Dahl told the Associated Press. "You wouldn't get very far with a
pick-up plow and the ice isn't reliable enough for heavier machinery."
"A
person got a quad-truck vehicle stuck," Bottineau representative Myron
Langehaug told AP. "There's so much snow on top of the ice. One guy
drilled through the ice, then water and ice again. I've never seen it
like this. It's just sad."
Michigan
High winds downed power lines and snapped trees
Tuesday, leaving 1,300 Consumers Energy customers without power in the
Byron Center area, according to MLive.com. As of Tuesday evening, 5,500
were without power in Kent County.
About 1,800 were powerless in Ionia County and 1,500 in Ottawa County.
Minnesota
Tuesday the Department of Transportation District 7 announced via Twitter that several counties are in a No Travel Advised.
Purple = Hazardous and NO TRAVEL ADVISED. White out conditions due to heavy snow and high winds.
This is Hwy 169 down in the river valley...out of the big wind. Conditions worse in the unprotected areas. Use caution.
Idaho
At least 25 school buildings in Boise sustained damages ranging from roof leaks to broken pipes after Iras blew through Idaho, according to the Idaho Statesman.Monday crews surveyed the damage, cleared gutters and made repairs in the hopes that the buildings would be prepared for students, the Statesman also reports. Boise School District Facilities and Operations Manager Tom Willis said many of the problems are just coming to light as pipes thaw.
Some schools had to cancel classes due to broken pipes. Crews were clearing snow at Rolling Hills Public Charter School when a frozen pipe burst and flooded several classrooms Monday, KTVB.com reports. Heritage Middle School also saw significant flooding and its library and eighth grade hallways became inaccessible.
An avalanche was reported Tuesday off Della Mountain, west of Hailey, which has blocked a road.
At least five avalanches were reported in Blaine County Sunday night into Monday, KTVB also reports. One slide blocked the Big Wood River and caused flooding in the Della Vista subdivision in Hailey.
The city of Emmett and Gem County declared a state of emergency Monday.
Colorado
In southwestern Colorado, where about two feet of snow fell in 24 hours, strong winds and heavy snow forced Crested Butte Mountain Resort to close early on Monday, the AP reported.Meanwhile, in Eagle County, a collision along Interstate 70 spilled about 2,100 gallons of diesel fuel onto the icy roadway early Monday morning, the AP also said. Nobody was injured, but the interstate was closed for about nine hours, the report added.
(MORE: Strong Winds Damage Structures, Overturn Trucks in Colorado Springs)
Wyoming
Tuesday the Department of Transportation shut down U.S. Highway 26/89/191 between Moose and Moran Junction in Grand Teton National Park due to winter conditions, according to Local8News.com.
Highway
75 between Idaho State Highway 21 and Squaw Creek Road has also been
closed due to avalanche danger, LocalNews also reports.
Numerous avalanches and treacherous travel conditions were reported Monday in the Jackson Hole area, according to the AP.
Heavy snow prompted the Jackson Hole Mountain Ski Resort to announce a delay in opening ski runs Monday morning. Teton County School District canceled classes Monday, the Jackson Hole News and Guide reported. It is the first time in more than 20 years since Jackson Hole students had a snow day.An avalanche buried a road in 15 feet of snow, according to Wyoming Department of Transportation spokeswoman Stephanie Harsha.
"If you can stay home, do," Harsha told the News and Guide. "It’s one of those storms."
Even police had a hard time making it to work. The Jackson Police Department was short-staffed Monday morning because some officers couldn't make it in due to closed roads, the News and Guide also reports.
"We have asked officers to bring items necessary to be here two days in case roads close again," Jackson Police Department Lt. Cole Nethercott told the News and Guide.
Montana
The Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center has issued a backcountry avalanche warning for the mountains around Cooke City, according to the AP.The storm prompted the cancellation of at least eight schools in western Montana Monday.
Driving conditions are considered dangerous for Interstate 90 from the Idaho border to St. Regis and from Alberton to Missoula; on Montana 200 from Missoula to Potomac and on U.S. Highway 93 from Missoula south to Stevensville, according to the Montana Department of Transportation.
Washington
Driving
became treacherous in Washington on Saturday as Iras made roads slick. A
60-mile section of eastbound Interstate 90 had to be shut down due to
numerous crashes and spinouts, one of which resulted in a fatality.
An
AA towing truck removes a jack-knifed FedEx tractor trailer rig from
the southbound lanes of Interstate 5 near the South Jefferson Exit
Saturday, Jan. 7,2017, north of Albany, Oregon.(Mark Ylen/Albany Democrat-Herald via AP)
An 11-year-old boy who wasn't wearing a seatbelt sustained serious injuries when the vehicle in which he was riding rolled over and he was ejected. Another person was critically wounded in a separate crash.
Oregon
A cold rain brought much of the Portland area to a standstill Monday morning, turning icy roads into slippery slush.The storm prompted the closure of numerous school districts and colleges in western Oregon, including Oregon's largest school district, Portland. Oregon State University and the University of Oregon followed suit.
A woman in her 50s died of exposure due to cold temperatures in Portland, KGW.com reported. Officials said 52-year-old Karen Lee Batts was found dead in a parking garage, according to the AP.
Portland Police were alerted Saturday afternoon the woman who was removing her clothing and appeared to be struggling in the cold weather, Sgt. Pete Simpson told KGW.com. By the time officers and paramedics arrived, the woman had died.
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