By Kevin Byrne, AccuWeather staff writer
February 3,2017, 11:55:17AM,EST
Numerous accidents were reported around the Portland, Oregon, area Friday morning as freezing rain slicked major roadways.
Portland Fire and Rescue crews responded to multiple accidents on Interstate 5 amid icy conditions.Officials recommended that a stretch of southbound I-5 near the Capitol Highway be shut down after as many as 50 vehicles were involved in an accident. Semi-trucks and cars were both involved in the accident.
The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) urged motorists to delay their morning commute if possible until conditions improve.
ODOT also said it was applying sand and a deicer product to the road as it worked to clear the accidents. As of 5:30 a.m. PST, a stretch of I-5 had already begun to reopen.
Several minor injuries were reported across all crashes, KATU in Portland reported.
Several TriMet buses were requested to shelter stranded drivers who were stuck in the cold. Significant delays to rail and bus services were also reported.
The precipitation first moved into the region around 1:30 a.m. local time and continued through the overnight hours. However, the city will see a break in the wintry conditions for a time on Friday.
ICE!! Lots of it on cars, roads... everything. It's going to be a rough morning. USE CAUTION! #LiveOnK2 #pdxtst
Temperatures hovering around freezing will keep conditions slippery on elevated and untreated surfaces, in particular, even though the freezing rain has ended for now, said AccuWeather Storm Warning Meteorologist Alex Avalos.
"Another round of freezing rain will likely overspread by early afternoon, keeping conditions slippery," Avalos said, adding that he didn't see temperatures rising above freezing until Friday evening.
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