|
Winter Snow Storm 2004 Hermiston, Oregon
|
Snow began falling News Years Eve and continued over the course of a week. There was between 12 and 14 inches of snow in the Hermiston area during that week. Five inches of snow fell in just one day on the west side of Hermiston.
While I stayed close to home during the snow storm I spent several hours each day shoveling snow in my neighborhood.
The first snow fall of about two inches had many people out trying to build snowmen. Unfortunately that first snowfall didn't pack well. At least one mom of two tried using garbage cans to pack the snow down. The snow man didn't hold together very well.
Two days later after another snowfall and maybe a little freezing rain during the night the snow suddenly packed a lot better. Children and adults were out busy building snow men.
It was interesting how the snow storm became big news on the Portland TV stations. KATU, KPTV, KGW, KOIN canceled regularly scheduled programs and went to continuous coverage. The Columbia Gorge was shut down to all traffic on I-84. On Sunday, January 4, two of the TV stations set up cameras on a hill on the west side of Portland and showed cars slipping and sliding on the hill. Other stations switched from ODOT (Oregon Department of Transportation) camera to another showing how bad the roads were becoming.
By January 8, Portland had warmed up to above freezing and the TV stations went back to the regularly scheduled shows. But out here in eastern Oregon the thaw has been slow in coming. One January 20, 2004 when this was updated the local temperature ranges from between 28 and 34 degrees. Packed snow remains on the side streets of Hermiston.
The days are staying brighter longer. Spring is on its way.
