Oregon, Idaho residents brace for icy roads

Boise, Idaho • Residents in Idaho and Oregon braced for treacherous roads and the possibility of flooding Sunday as freezing rain coated parts of the region.

After record snowfall earlier this week prompted government leaders to declare a state of emergency for the Boise, Idaho, area, many stores were sold out of bottled water, snow shovels and sandbags.

Fearing the rain could cause roughly 15 inches of accumulated snowfall to quickly melt, some law enforcement agencies in southwestern Idaho urged residents to dig out pathways away from their home and uncover any nearby storm drains if possible. The pathways are intended to create a drainage system in hopes of mitigating any nuisance flooding.

Elizabeth Duncan with the Idaho Office of Emergency Management said they are monitoring conditions statewide, with the potential for flooding from ice jams on the Snake, Salmon, Lemhi and Big Wood rivers and tributaries.

Meanwhile, businesses and homeowners were working Sunday to get snow off of rooftops, porches and decks, fearing that the additional weight from the rain could cause structures to collapse.

Oregon travelers were also facing big problems, with most flights canceled at the Portland and Eugene airports, and the Oregon Department of Transportation advising motorists to stay home if possible because of icy conditions. Chains are required on several roads, and some eastern and central Oregon highways are closed to drivers.

In Portland, authorities said a woman died in a downtown parking garage, and her death may have been caused by exposure to the cold weather.

Meanwhile, widespread power outages from equipment failures and downed power lines affected thousands of Seattle residents and the University of Washington campus Sunday afternoon.

Sports fans in Washington and Oregon also felt the sting of the cold when the storm forced No. 5 Gonzaga's game at Portland to be postponed Saturday night. A makeup game will be played at the Chiles Center in Portland, but the date had not yet been determined.