“Cold, Cold, Cold”: Thousands Lose Power as Wind and Snow Lash Portland

The wind toppled huge trees and downed power lines. Two people died, authorities said.

A homeless-camping policy leaflet blows through the Central Eastside on Jan. 13, 2024. (Chris Nesseth)
By Aaron Mesh

Two people are dead and tens of thousands are without electrical power as frigid wind downs trees and blows snow sideways across Portland today.

The winds, recorded gusting to 45 miles per hour at Portland International Airport, made temperatures in the teens feel below zero. A person exposed to the elements risked frostbite after 30 minutes, the National Weather Service warned.

The wind toppled huge trees in Southwest and Southeast Portland, photos posted to social media showed. Portland General Electric reported Saturday afternoon that more than 161,000 customers were without power as the wind downed poles and lines.

Shortly before 3 pm, regional transit agency TriMet suspended all MAX train service. “Power outages, trees down and dangerous conditions have impacted our ability to safely provide MAX service at this time,” the agency said in a statement.

Forecasters warned that little relief was in the offing. Sunday’s high is expected to be 25 degrees and Monday only a little warmer, with 20-mph wind gusts.

“Cold, cold cold. That sums up next few days of temperatures,” wrote Clinton Rockey, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service.

Multnomah County officials said one person had died Saturday in Portland of what was believed to be hypothermia. Officials offered no further details about the death.

Portland Fire & Rescue said a tree fell onto a recreational vehicle parked on Southeast 105th Avenue, setting the RV on fire and killing a person who lived there. “Crews arrived to find multiple power lines down and a RV on fire in the street,” the fire bureau said on social media. “The RV is completely engulfed in fire.” The bureau later said the fire started when the tree struck the RV and ignited a stove being used for heating.

County spokeswoman Julie Sullivan-Springhetti says nearly 350 people sought warmth overnight at six shelters opened by the county. The county will add four additional shelters tonight, for a total of 740 beds.

Locations of shelters can be found here.

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