Oregon
Eugene, Lane County winter weather to continue with cold ahead of more freezing rain
As Eugene and the rest of Willamette Valley attempt to dig out from a long weekend of snow and ice and frigid temperatures, weather forecasts were predicting a much-needed dose of clear sky for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
On the other hand, temperatures were expected to barely reach above freezing and residents were already bracing themselves for what could be another round of freezing rain on the horizon.
With the rough weather still taking its toll on the region, here are the latest updates from Eugene and the surrounding region:
The weather is expected to be cold and dry through early Tuesday when a low-pressure system from the southwest is forecast to bring freezing rain into Wednesday.
High temperatures are anticipated to return to the upper 40s or low 50s on Wednesday, with rain in the Willamette Valley and snow in the Cascades, for the rest of the week.
A total of 0.2 to 0.3 inches of ice is forecast Tuesday in the central and southern Willamette Valley. The ice is expected to begin in the morning and last into the evening. It’s less than Saturday’s ice totals that reached a half-inch in some places, but enough to have widespread impact.
“We’ll definitely have some possibility of power outages, tree damage and slippery roads,” said Jacob Hall with the National Weather Service in Portland. “The good news is that we’re not forecasting strong winds.”
Late Sunday, tens of thousands of Oregonians in the northwestern part of the state were without power and a multitude of highways and roads were closed, due to fallen trees and power lines.
Wind and snow and ice downed trees and power lines across northwestern Oregon over the weekend, knocking out power and prompting the closure of numerous roads.
Portland General Electric said tree limbs and debris brought down more than 816 of its distribution power lines and damaged multiple transmission lines.
“Given the extent of the damage and the high level of outage events, restoration efforts will continue into the week and customers are encouraged to plan accordingly,” PGE said in a statement.
- Lane Transit District: Bus services are suspended until further notice.
- Lane Community College: Closed until further notice. The men’s and women’s basketball games against Chemeketa Community College have been postponed.
- City of Eugene Parks: Immediate closure, caution advised near trees.
- Eugene Airport: Numerous flight cancellations and delays.
- University of Oregon Campus: Closing at 8 p.m. Saturday, reopening at 10 a.m. Monday. The Women’s Basketball game will be played but will be closed to the public.
- Willamalane Parks: Closed until further notice.
- PeaceHealth: All specialty clinics, walk-in clinics, and urgent care will be closed tomorrow. Most elective surgeries will be rescheduled. Other hospital operations will continue.
- Cascade Health: closed today and tomorrow except for the Pete Moore Hospice House.
- Willamette Valley Cancer Institute and Research Ctr.: Closed Monday.
- Slocum Orthopedics: Closed today and tomorrow.
- MLK Jr. Marches: Both the Martin Luther King Jr. Day march planned in Eugene and the one planned in Springfield are canceled.
- Deerhorn Road: Closed west of Booth Kelly Road due to falling trees and downed power lines.
- McKenzie View Drive: Closed due to falling trees.
- OR-126: Closed from Poodle Creek Road, Cheshire to Indian Creek Road, Swisshome due to hazardous trees or vegetation.
- OR-36: Closed from Poodle Creek Road, Cheshire to Indian Creek Road, Swisshome due to hazardous trees or vegetation.
- OR-99: Closed from E Saginaw Road to Lynx Hollow Road due to hazardous trees or vegetation.
- Marcola Road: closed from Bowman Road to County Line Road due to fallen trees.
- Territorial Highway: closed south of milepost 42 due to fallen trees.
- While not closed, state officials have warned of multiple crashes due to icy conditions on I-5 from miles 167-172 (Cottage Grove area)
The Egan Warming Centers will be open tonight and tomorrow night and they will remain open until 11 a.m. tomorrow morning instead of the usual 8 a.m. All sites are accessible to people with disabilities and to pets.
Egan Warming Center locations are:
- Springfield Memorial Building
- 765 A St, Springfield
- Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
- Transportation Hub at First Christian Church
- 1166 Oak Street, Eugene
- Shuttles will run from 6 p.m. to midnight
- Trinity United Methodist Church
- 440 Maxwell Road, Eugene
- Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
- South Hills at the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection
- 3925 Hilyard St, Eugene
- Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
- Wheeler Pavilion at Lane Events Center
- 796 W 13th Ave, Eugene
- Doors open at 10 p.m., a late opening
The Egan program is also seeking donations of gloves and blankets. It is looking for about 200 blankets and as many gloves as people can donate. People willing to travel are asked to bring donations to 888 Garfield Street in Eugene.
Watch the ice storm arrive in Eugene
A time-lapse of from Friday, Jan. 12, 2024 afternoon until Saturday morning as a layer of snow and ice coat Eugene’s College Hill Neighborhood.
The Oregon Department of Emergency Management activated the State Emergency Coordination Center for state agencies and nonprofit partners to share life safety resources, including activating 211 to support warming shelters in several counties.
“If you or someone you know needs a place to stay warm, call 211 or visit 211info.org to find open warming centers in your area; 211 also offer and coordinate transport services to and from warming centers,” the agency said.
Emergency Management encouraged people to stay home, stay informed, have an emergency plan and stock an emergency kit.
Oregonians can sign up for local emergency alerts at oralert.gov If you have moved, you should update your information.
The agency said a basic emergency supply kit in case the power goes out includes the following items:
- Enough water for one gallon per person per day for several days, for drinking and sanitation.
- Several days’ supply of non-perishable, easy-to-eat food such as peanut butter, protein and granola bars, jerky, nuts, fruit, pretzels, crackers, beans and rice.
- A manual can opener.
- A battery-powered or hand crank radio or a weather radio.
- A flashlight with extra batteries.
- A first-aid kit.
- Sleeping bags or warm blankets.
NW Natural on Saturday evening asked customers to conserve gas during the storm “by lowering thermostats as much as you can comfortably and safely manage,” minimizing hot water usage and turning off non-essential appliances, to help prevent strain on utility systems.
“We are seeing increased usage by utility customers across our region due to frigid temperatures, which are expected to continue into next week,” NW Natural said in the notice to customers.
Modest efforts to conserve gas “can make a big impact in helping the entire energy system navigate this extreme weather event,” said Kim Rush, NW Natural’s chief operations officer.
Rush said the company’s gas system is operating safely at full capacity and field teams ready to respond to customer needs.
The Oregon Ducks made key signings through the 2026 recruiting class, and Oregon coach Dan Lanning and the program secured five five-star picks.
One of the biggest position needs that the Ducks addressed through recruiting is safety. According to Rivals’ rankings, seven safeties are featured in the top 100 recruits, and the Oregon Ducks made a big splash in recruiting the position.
Oregon Adds Elite Safeties Through Recruiting
One of the biggest signings for the Oregon Ducks is five-star safety Jett Washington. Washington is the No. 22 recruit in the nation, the No. 2 safety, and the No. 1 player from Nevada, per Rivals. While the Ducks signed several elite recruits, Washington could prove to be the most important signing for Oregon.
Washington is a natural athlete, and after choosing between USC, Alabama, and Oregon, the five-star recruit will find himself in Eugene in 2026. Athleticism runs in Washington’s family, as he is the nephew of NBA legend Kobe Bryant, and he can be an immediate difference maker on defense in 2026.
“I think the options are limitless when you see a player of Jett’s ability. He’s got great ball instincts, he can attack. He’s a physical hitter. You look at a lot of things that we were able to do with Dillon this year, Dillon Thieneman on his stack position, I think Jett translates to a lot of that stuff really well as well,” Lanning said of Washington.
The Oregon Ducks also signed four-star safety Devin Jackson, another top 100 recruit. According to the Rivals’ Industry Rankings, Jackson is the No. 68 recruit in the nation, the No. 5 safety, and the No. 9 player from Florida. Despite efforts from the Florida Gators and several other top programs, the effort the Oregon Ducks put in landed them another elite safety in 2026.
MORE: Dan Lanning Challenging Mike Bellotti In Oregon Coach Milestone
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Despite not being rated in the top 100, the Ducks also signed four-star safety Xavier Lherisse. Oregon has a strong history of developing players on both sides of the ball, and Lhresse has a high ceiling. With the Ducks, he could break out on the defense and become a top safety over time.
Why Recruiting At Safety Was Important For Oregon
The Oregon Ducks are earning a valuable addition at safety, which could be critical for the Ducks in 2026. After Oregon’s success in 2025, the team could be losing key defensive back depth.
One significant player who could be leaving the team after the season is safety Dillon Thieneman. He could return to the team next year, but with the season he had, Thieneman could declare for the 2026 NFL Draft.
Ducks safety Solomon Davis announced his intention to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal, and although Davis played primarily on the special teams, that is still another player set to leave the team ahead of 2026. Whether the incoming recruits are ready to play right away or not, the team needed to add depth at the position, and the Ducks landed elite talent in doing so.
Eug 031623 Uo Spring Fb 06 | Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK
Oregon has had a top defense this season and has done well at stopping the pass. The defense allowed just 5.36 yards per attempt and 144.1 yards per game in the air.
Despite Oregon defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi becoming the head coach of the Cal Bears, the Ducks’ defense has the same amount of potential. Notably, defensive backs coach Chris Hampton is expected to be promoted to defensive coordinator.
Not only is Oregon hiring in-house, but it is the coach who recruited the elite safeties. Hampton will set up the incoming athletes for much success, keeping Oregon as a national title contender.
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SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — On Monday, a federal judge blocked efforts by the Trump administration to fine states millions of dollars for administering SNAP benefits.
Read the full press release from the Office Of The Attorney General, including a statement made by Rayfield, below:
Attorney General Dan Rayfield today (Monday) released the following statement after a federal judge in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon blocked the Trump administration’s efforts to penalize states with millions of dollars in fines related to their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) operations:
“In Oregon and across the country, SNAP supports families to make ends meet throughout the year. The federal government’s threat to impose this – especially during the holiday season – created needless uncertainty for programs that help people put food on the table. Today’s ruling stops that disruption and allows Oregon to keep administering SNAP without fear of being punished for following the law.”
On November 26, Attorney General Rayfield and a coalition of 20 other attorneys general sued the Trump administration after it attempted to cut off SNAP benefits for tens of thousands of lawful permanent residents. On December 10, the administration reversed itself and issued new guidance, confirming that lawful permanent residents – including former refugees and asylees – remain eligible for SNAP benefits.
Despite that reversal, the administration continued to threaten states with millions of dollars in fines, claiming that states had missed a required “grace period” for implementing the new guidance, even though the final guidance was not issued until December 10.
Today, the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon issued an order temporarily blocking those penalties. The court’s decision prohibits the federal government’s efforts to impose severe financial penalties on states and protects the continued operation of SNAP programs while the case proceeds.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KATU) — The Citizens Utility Board (CUB) has accused Portland General Electric (PGE) of circumventing Oregon’s new POWER Act, which mandates that data centers cover their own energy costs.
CUB claims PGE’s proposed cost-sharing framework unfairly burdens residential customers with a significant portion of the expenses associated with data center growth.
The consumer advocacy group was established in 1984, as a utility watchdog over Oregon’s three investor-owned electric utilities, PGE, Pacific Power and Idaho Power.
PAST COVERAGE | Oregon House passes bill making large data centers pay for power grid costs
According to CUB, PGE’s plan would charge residential customers 34-45% of the costs for new power supply and transmission, despite data centers being the primary drivers of increased energy demand.
CUB argues that this approach contradicts the intent of the POWER Act, which aims to prevent Oregon families from subsidizing data centers.
PGE, however, defends its proposal. The company mentioned a new tool called the Peak Growth Modifier as a means to ensure that those driving peak demand growth bear the associated costs.
“The electric grid and generating resources are built to make sure customers are reliably served at moments when usage is at its highest point – this is peak demand,” PGE said. “The principle is simple: customer groups driving peak-demand growth should pay for the infrastructure needed to serve that growth.”
The Oregon Public Utility Commission is currently reviewing PGE’s plan, with a decision expected by April 2026.
The POWER Act, signed by Gov. Kotek, instructed the commission to create a new industrial customer class for those using over 20 megawatts of energy, primarily data centers.
The bill also included provisions for infrastructure cost-sharing mechanisms, customer protections, and long-term contracts for data centers.
What’s the buzz around data centers?
Data centers are facilities that house and run large computer systems. They have been expanding at a fast pace to power the fast-growing AI economy across the country.
They usually contain several computer servers, data storage devices, network equipment and other devices that allow for storing, managing, processing and transmitting data.
SEE ALSO | Exploring AI data centers’ impact on U.S. resources
Currently, residential customers account for 40% of total electricity consumption, while data centers represent only 6% in Oregon.
However, data centers are expected to grow to approximately 20% of total consumption by 2030.
Oregon currently has 138 data centers, according to Data Center Map’s database.
Data centers use a lot of electricity, especially those specifically built to support generative AI.
A new Pew Research Center analysis of federal and international data shows U.S. data centers used 183 terawatt-hours of electricity in 2024, about 4% of all electricity used nationwide, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).
That’s roughly equal to the entire annual electricity use of Pakistan.
According to Pew and the IEA, a typical AI-optimized hyperscale center uses as much electricity as 100,000 homes a year. Newer mega-facilities could use 20 times more once they go online.
In major hubs, especially Northern Virginia, clusters of these centers now consume more than a quarter of the state’s total electricity supply, the Electric Power Research Institute reports.
Carnegie Mellon University estimates U.S. electricity bills could rise 8% by 2030 just from data centers and crypto mining alone, with even steeper hikes in the most data-center-dense regions.
Data centers in the U.S. also consumed 17 billion gallons of fresh, drinking water in 2023, mainly to cool energy-intensive AI chips.
By 2028, hyperscale centers alone could be consuming 16 to 33 billion gallons annually — roughly the yearly use of a mid-sized U.S. city.
The Associated Press and Emma Withrow of The National Desk contributed to this report.
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