Travel Tips

In recent decades, large snow storms have been far less frequent than they once were in Portland. Our largest winter storm on record is still the great blizzard of 1893.

However, it does still snow here from time to time. These are a few photographs taken during December 23, 2008.

To expand any of the smaller photos on this page, all you have to do is click on them.

Normally, Portland only gets a few inches of snow at a time. Not this year! This year we got well over 12 inches in one storm.

It is a good thing my front door opens inward and not outward! There are many good reasons to have your doors arranged this way, and snow is certainly one of those reasons.

Thankfully, the snow packed down so hard that it did not fall into the place where I live after I opened the door. Instead, it just stayed formed in place to fit the door.

The Portland Streetcar (bonde for my Brazilian friends!) was operating during the snow storm. The snow didn't get a chance to block the tracks. However, the station platforms and other areas around the streetcar certainly had quite an accumulation.

The city of Portland does not have very many snow plows. This storm kept all of them very busy. The plow in front is lowered by the driver to remove snow from the road. The container in back is used to dump gravel onto the road, which helps provide a rough surface for people to drive on - otherwise the tires don't have enough traction.

You will notice that the snow plow also has tire chains on the rear tires. At one point during the storm, no cars were allowed on Portland area highways (including Interstates!) without tire chains.

So, what happens if you need to go somewhere after it snows like this?

The first step starts with a shovel, and it takes about half an hour to find your car. Then, you must use the shovel to remove the snow from around the car so that it will move. The whole process takes quite a long time.

Some bus routes were running, but not very many of them. That is how I chose to get around during this storm.

These park benches in Pettygrove Park (downtown area, south of Ira's Fountain) illustrate just how much snow has fallen in a very short time. It doesn't look like downtown got as much as I did at my house.

The Chapman Square statue as it looks after being covered in snow.

For more photos taken during this storm see also:
Ira's Fountain in Winter 1
Ira's Fountain in Winter 2:
Ira's Fountain in Winter 3:
Pettygrove Park: Big Black Building in Snowstorm
Pettygrove Park: snowed over walkways
Pettygrove Park: snowed over sculpture
Pettygrove Park: snowed over hills
Elk statue in Winter
Deer statue in Winter
Otter statues in Winter