Freezing fog relents, returns in Bend – sticks to the north

Central Oregon’s work week of winter weather ended Friday with still more school closures and delays, as well as slide-off crashes on slick roads. Later, the freezing fog returned in Bend as it lingered in Redmond and points north, canceling more flights out of Roberts Field.

Jefferson County 509-J classes were canceled again Friday, as were classes at Redmond’s Central Christian School, while Redmond and Culver schools were on two-hour delays, and Culver buses were on snow routes. Redmond’s St. Thomas Academy conferences were starting at 10 a.m.

Friday morning crashes included a pickup rollover on southbound Highway 97 near Evergreen Avenue in Redmond and another on Deschutes Market Road. There was no word of any injuries.

Skies were partly cloudy around the region at 7 a.m., with temperatures just below to right around freezing.

But the freezing fog returned to Bend in the late afternoon as it lingered in Redmond and points north, canceling more flights out of Roberts Field. Check your flight status here: http://www.flyrdm.com/?Flight-Status

The closures and delays were fewer than on Thursday, when Bend-La Pine schools were closed for the day, as were Jefferson County, Culver, Sisters and Redmond schools (many of which earlier called a 2-hour delay) and COCC and OSU-Cascades classes and campuses.

Crashes and slide-offs began again during the Thursday morning commute, including a collision on S. Century Drive and a car in a ditch on Highway 26 West in Jefferson County.

Shortly after 7 a.m. ODOT reported Highway 97 was closed in both directions at the Deschutes-Klamath County line by a jackknifed semi truck. ODOT was on scene and a tow was en route, but with no detour in place, drivers were urged to use caution due to freezing rain. One lane was reopened with flaggers by about 8:30 a.m.

The National Weather Service in Pendleton extended its freezing rain advisory for the region to 10 a.m. Thursday, predicting the rain-freezing rain mix would change to rain by mid-morning and taper off. And indeed, temperatures were climbing back toward or above freezing as the morning commute ended.

By 9 a.m., Bend Airport had light rain and 32 degrees, while it was cloudy but 30 degrees at Redmond Airport. Prineville Airport had risen to 34 degrees under mostly cloudy skies, but it was still 28 degrees and cloudy at Madras Airport.

But the freezing rain was stubborn in some areas, especially to the north of Bend and Redmond. Crooked River Ranch resident Teri Hobbs reported a half-hour of heavy freezing rain and sleet Thursday evening — “never did get above freezing.”

Madras Airport at 6 p.m. Thursday had “mixed precipitation” and 30 degrees, while Redmond had light rain and 31 degrees, but it was in the 40s in the Bend area.

During the Thursday morning Sunrise show, NewsChannel 21 Chief Meteorologist bob Shaw said it was “just a frozen wasteland for Central Oregon, and has left us encased in ice — and I’m not just talking about streets. I’m talking about your porch, your car, your sidewalk — everything is layered in ice.”

And the High Desert wasn’t alone: ODOT reported several Eastern Oregon highways closed due to extreme icy conditions in the Umatilla County area, including I-84.

Much of the region had their worst freezing rain in the wintry onslaught, and slide-offs and crashes were reported during the evening commute, with areas south of Bend and in Deschutes River Woods among the worst. No serious injuries were reported.

But the trouble was by no means limited to Bend, as Facebook friends told KTVZ about their conditions. Pat Albertson said “it is a sheet of ice” north of Prineville — “can hardly walk up to my horse barn.” Another weather spotter nearby reported hours of a mix of sleet and freezing rain.

Jennifer Games said Brookswood Boulevard also was “a sheet of ice,” while Adam Henderson said Redmond had about 3/8 of an inch of ice on the roads and sidewalks.

Flight cancellations, diversions and delays continued at Redmond Airport. Virginia Moore said a friend was supposed to leave Wednesday night and now can’t depart until Friday, as all of Thursday’s scheduled flights are full.