Coast battered by winds, rain; Gorge, snow

The Oregon Coast and the Columbia River Gorge was the weather “hot” spot Thursday.

According to KATU’s Meteorologist Dave Salesky, Hood River got about seven inches of snow and the Coast about an inch and a half of rain in Tillamook.

It was the wind that caused the most stir of excitement at the Coast Thursday, causing at least one power outage in Lincoln County that affected 33 homes, but with all the rain, flooding was another concern.

Zane Hewitt and Dillon Hart were on flood patrol Thursday. The boys watched the river levels of the Siletz to make sure it didn’t crest and flood their grandma’s riverfront house.

“We’ve been looking at it every couple minutes to see if it’s coming up or not,” said Hart.

Hewitt said his grandmother is concerned about flooding because, “It gets in her house and ruins the carpet on the floor. So she’s just worried about that and worried stuff might be getting soaked.”

Brian Eastburn, who enjoys retirement along the Siletz in his trailer, also kept an eye on the river. A grassy patch along it serves as his warning that rising water will threaten his trailer. If it creeps onto it, he said he’ll start preparing his trailer for towing.

There’s been so much rain that some campsites have become small ponds with picnic tables like islands.

At the beach in Lincoln City, only a few people braved the conditions Thursday but many visitors stayed in their cars to keep dry and warm.

Along Interstate 84 in the Gorge, many drivers weren’t prepared for the slick conditions and at least one jackknifed truck was observed by a KATU News reporter.

Drivers found out that once they got east of Cascade Locks weather and road conditions deteriorated fast.

“Very scary,” said Cynthia Fanucchi a resident of Beaverton. “You’re going to want to make sure you have your chains with you.”

Salesky said that “things are beginning to break up in the Gorge” but warned that it will still be dicey throughout the night.