Warm-up, snow melt raise Willamette Valley flood threat

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — The Willamette Valley is in a flood watch as temperatures in the high 40s melt what’s left of last week’s ice and snow.

The National Weather Service expects temperatures to remain above freezing for the rest of the week, accompanied by plenty of rain.

Besides flooding, the conditions can also trigger landslides. One has closed the northbound right lane of Highway 99W at Bull Mountain in Tigard. Transportation officials say the slide sent 80 yards of debris onto the highway, and there’s no estimate for when that lane will reopen.

Lane County sustained a lot of damage in the ice storm. The Register-Guard reports (https://is.gd/gSEkvL ) utilities, tree-removal companies and the city of Eugene worked around the clock on Monday to finish restoring power, clearing roads and assessing damage to homes.