Snow, freezing rain close Central Oregon schools

Just about all Central Oregon schools were closed Friday, some for a second day, after Thursday’s snow was followed by a foot or more in areas, plus a severe bout of freezing rain that left roads treacherous and officials urging everyone to stay off them if at all possible.

Among the closures: Bend-La Pine, Redmond, Sisters, Crook County, Jefferson County, Culver, COCC and OSU-Cascades. Also closed: Eastmont Community School, Cascades Academy near Bend, Waldorf School of Bend, Central Christian School in Redmond and the Powell Butte Community School.

Jefferson County 509-J schools actually made the call Thursday night, as did Seven Peaks School south of Bend, Central Christian School and the Prineville Senior Center.

The icing conditions prompted a closure of Redmond Airport (Roberts Field) Thursday evening. As of 6 a.m. Friday, all morning departures were canceled; check the updated status at http://www.flyrdm.com/?Flight-Status

“With an inversion layer firmly in place this morning and much colder air locked close to the surface at the lower elevations, freezing rain permeates much of Central Oregon,” said NewsChannel 21 Chief Meteorologist Bob Shaw.

He said temperatures “will be staying cold through the day, so freezing rain will be with us through the noon hour. If you do not have to be on Central Oregon roads this morning, please stay home. Streets are icy and driving is hazardous.”

“Highs will only each the freezing mark,” he warned, “so icy conditions will stay with us through the day.”

Along with the freezing rain came more snow – Redmond residents reporting over a foot, while a Terrebonne resident said they got another foot on top of Thursday’s snowfall. Prineville also had the freezing rain “just sitting on top of the 10 inches of snow,” said resident Amie Hamilton, while a Maupin resident reported nearly a foot of snow by early Friday.

At 5 a.m. Friday, Central Oregon weather stations reported light snow and temperatures in the upper teens, except for Powell Butte at 20 degrees and Warm Springs at 22.

Despite four inches of snow early Thursday, Bend-La Pine Schools were open, while Redmond schools at first were delayed, then were closed, as were schools in Crook County and Sisters.

It was a busy scene at Bend’s Ponderosa Elementary parking lot when school got out at 3:30 p.m. Meanwhile, it was a completely different picture in Redmond, where all schools were closed.

The question: Who makes the call on whether schools are open or not during these wintry conditions?

“Our transportation staff begins driving roads as early at 2:30 in the morning,” said Redmond schools Superintendent Mike McIntosh. “I get a phone call about 4:30, 5 o’clock with what they’re finding out there. And we make a decision based on what we think will happen, based on weather reports.”

The protocol is the same in Bend-La Pine, where three drivers go out in the middle of the night and test-drive the roads.

“We have some paths that we drive, areas that are typically more challenging for us,” said Denice Blake, the district’s transportation director. “Just in general checking breaking and movability. We try things, like on a steep increase coming to a complete stop. It’s a very big responsibility, and we take it very, very seriously here.”

The same protocols are in place for Redmond and Bend-La Pine, but the two school districts came to different conclusions.

“I understand that Bend had potentially more snow than we had, but we also know that varying counties, municipalities, cities and county government have quicker access sometimes to roads,” McIntosh said.

Even a big snowstorm does not automatically mean it’s a snow day.

“Four inches of snow could be easy to drive in, and half an inch of snow could be very treacherous,” Blake said.

We’ll be updating this story with word of closures or delays as we get them, and join Renee Nelson and Bob Shaw on NewsChannel 21 at Sunrise Friday for the fast-changing school picture