A White Christmas is not what most in Jewell wanted to wake up to this morning as they went into week two of no power, isolation and cold. While many in Jewell have been able to pool resources, taking turns sharing meals at neighbors’ homes, others have been too far away from any close neighbors and with no power and out of cell phone range, are completely isolated. Commissioner Ann Samuelson has been attempting to assess who needs what and where but many in the area are unreachable. “We are in a state of emergency out here,” she stated, “We need to get to people, to find out how they are doing, if they are okay. There are people who need medication, who are elderly and might need heat, food or help. We don’t know because we can’t reach them. Neighbors are taking care of each other, but some people don’t live next door to anyone. They need help, too.”
Declaring a state of emergency would bring in additional man power and additional funds, and help to prioritize Jewell to get its residents’ power turned back on. In the last week over 70,000 homes have lost power in Oregon due to the successive winter storms that have brought unusual weather west of the Coastal Range and Cascades, to the Valley floor and even the coast. Snow in measurable amounts staying for days at a time have wreaked havoc everywhere along the I-5 corridor to the coast. Clatsop County has been isolated frequently for brief amounts of time as three major highways (30, 26 and 101) have been closed, sometimes simultaneously, due to road conditions caused by the weather.
Trees down has been the number one cause of road closures in Clatsop County, while blizzard like conditions have closed summmits and passes elsewhere in the state. Sheriff Bergin wrote a letter expressing his frustration with the beautification strips of trees next to the highways which, in his opinion, are the source of the trees which are now littered all over Clatsop County highways. Sheriff Bergin writes: “Common sense has gone out the window in this state and when will this madness end.” According to Oregon Department of Transportation, however, the beautification strips are a result of 1960s federal Highway Acts and in order for Oregon to continue receiving highway funds it must adhere to the guidelines of the act.
Whether or not funds are jeopardized if a federal highway act is avoided, many are not pleased with the hazards that the trees falling across the highways have caused. The fact remains that the emergency responders ability to do their job is greatly reduced when their way is blocked by downed tree after downed tree. Commissioner Samuelson is determined to find a way around the problem to a solution. “We can’t just let this continue to happen. We have to have a way where people are confident that in situations like this, storms and natural disasters, the emergency responders can reach them. Help is on its way. This idea that they are isolated and alone isn’t right. There has to be a way to correct this situation. I am working on a solution and am looking for others to work with me until we find one.”
Weather Forecast
WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM WEDNESDAY TO 4 PM PST THURSDAYS AND CASCADE FOOTHILLS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL OREGON AND SOUTH WASHINGTON…THE NORTH AND CENTRAL OREGON COAST RANGE…AND THE WILLAPA HILLS OF SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON…
COAST RANGE OF NORTHWEST OREGON- CENTRAL COAST RANGE OF WESTERN OREGON- NORTHERN OREGON CASCADE FOOTHILLS-NORTHERN OREGON CASCADES- CASCADE FOOTHILLS IN LANE COUNTY-CASCADES IN LANE COUNTY- SOUTH WASHINGTON CASCADES-WILLAPA HILLS- SOUTH WASHINGTON CASCADE FOOTHILLS- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF…VERNONIA…JEWELL…TRASK… GRANDE RONDE…TIDEWATER…SWISSHOME…SANDY… SILVER FALLS STATE PARK…SWEET HOME…GOVERNMENT CAMP… DETROIT…SANTIAM PASS…VIDA…LOWELL…COTTAGE GROVE…MCKENZIE BRIDGE…OAKRIDGE…WILLAMETTE PASS…COLDWATER RIDGE VISITORS CENTER…MOUNT ST. FOR THE CASCADEHELENS…FRANCES…RYDERWOOD…TOUTLE…ARIEL…COUGAR.
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PORTLAND HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM WEDNESDAY TO 4 PM PST THURSDAY.
ANOTHER WINTER STORM IS EXPECTED TO BRING HEAVY SNOW TO THE WILLAPA HILLS…COAST RANGE…CASCADES AND CASCADE FOOTHILLS. SNOW IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE IN INTENSITY AROUND MIDDAY WEDNESDAY…AND CONTINUE THROUGH THURSDAY. ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 2 FEET ARE POSSIBLE…WITH THE HEAVIEST AMOUNTS EXPECTED IN THE CASCADES.
A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW ARE FORECAST THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS. ONLY TRAVEL IN AN EMERGENCY. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL…KEEP AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT… FOOD…AND WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.
NORTH OREGON COAST-CENTRAL OREGON COAST-SOUTH WASHINGTON COAST-
…HIGH SURF WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM TO 10 PM PST THURSDAY FOR THE SOUTH WASHINGTON AND NORTH AND CENTRAL OREGONCOASTS… A HIGH SURF WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM TO 10 PM PST THURSDAY.
A STRONG DEEP LOW IN THE EASTERN GULF OF ALASKA WILL MOVE SOUTH DOWN THE COAST OF BRITISH COLUMBIA…AND IS EXPECTED TO MOVE ONSHORE NEAR ASTORIA THURSDAY MORNING. STRONG SURFACE WINDS ON THE WEST SIDE OF THIS DEEP LOW WILL GENERATE LARGE SWELL THAT IS HEADED TOWARD THE WEST COAST…BRINGING DANGEROUS HIGH SURF CONDITIONS TO THE SOUTH WASHINGTON AND NORTH AND CENTRAL OREGON COASTAL AREAS FROM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING.
SWELL AROUND 10 FEET THIS EVENING WILL RAPIDLY BUILD TO BETWEEN 15 AND 20 FEET LATE TONIGHT…THEN TO BETWEEN 22 AND 28 FEET THURSDAY MORNING. THE HIGHEST SEAS WILL BE OFF THE CENTRAL OREGON COAST. SEAS WILL SUBSIDE BELOW 20 FEET OVERNIGHT THURSDAY NIGHT.
WITH THIS BEING A HOLIDAY PERIOD AND EXTRA PEOPLE POSSIBLY VACATIONING AT THE COAST…PEOPLE ARE URGED TO STAY A SAFE DISTANCE AWAY FROM BEACHES AND JETTIES.
IT CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS TO VENTURE NEAR THE COASTAL AREA UNDER HIGH SURF CONDITIONS. PEOPLE AT TIMES ARE SWEPT OFF ROCKS AND JETTIES AND DROWN WHILE OBSERVING HIGH SURF. STAY WELL BACK FROM THE WATERS EDGE AND BE ALERT FOR THE EXCEPTIONALLY HIGH WAVE.
A HIGH SURF WARNING MEANS THAT DANGEROUSLY HIGH SURF WILL BATTER BEACHES IN THE WARNING AREA…PRODUCING DEADLY RIP CURRENTS AND MINOR BEACH EROSION.
Highway 30 Closes and Reopens, downed trees, use caution if traveling this route.
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