California braces for heavy rains as car pileup in winter storm closes an Oregon interstate
- NewsBlend360
- Feb 13
- 5 min read
LOS ANGELES (NB360) — Snow and ice under whiteout conditions led to a pileup involving up to 30 cars on a major highway between Oregon and Idaho, reportedly injuring several individuals as a winter storm hit the Pacific Northwest on Thursday.
In Southern California, to the south, heavy rain from the season's strongest atmospheric river had already triggered at least one rock slide and a significant debris flow, prompting evacuations in some Los Angeles neighborhoods devastated by wildfires and at high risk of mudslides.
The West Coast storms are the latest in a series of severe weather events across the U.S. this week, which have caused power outages for tens of thousands.
Pacific Northwest ice storm
First responders examined every vehicle involved in the accident near Multnomah Falls, approximately 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of Portland, according to the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office on social media. Initially, the office reported over 100 cars were involved, but the state transportation department later clarified that the number was between 20 and 30 vehicles.
High winds, snow, and ice made it challenging to “determine how many vehicles were involved,” stated department spokesperson Ryan McCrary. The Oregon State Police reported that troopers attended to eight separate crashes and that four individuals were transported to hospitals with minor injuries.
The pileup occurred under whiteout conditions in the westbound lanes of Interstate 84, authorities reported, mentioning that an SUV caught fire but its occupants managed to escape. The sheriff’s office indicated there were reports of injuries and people trapped in their vehicles. Oregon State Police spokesperson Kyle Kennedy confirmed in an email that there have been no reported fatalities.
Freezing rain and snow led to the pileup in Multnomah County, where officials extended a state of emergency through at least Friday and announced that eight emergency shelters would be available. Officials reported that 489 people sought refuge in the shelters Wednesday night. Wind chill temperatures could drop to 10 degrees (minus 12 Celsius) in Portland, according to the weather service.
Northwestern Oregon, including Portland, might receive up to 3 inches (7.6 centimeters) of snow with wind gusts reaching up to 45 mph (72 kmh), as per the weather service. In southern Washington state, six people were hospitalized with injuries from multiple crashes involving over a dozen vehicles on Interstate 5 near the Cowlitz River, reported state patrol spokesperson Will Finn.
Too much rain too quickly in California?
As the rain intensified on Thursday evening, the National Weather Service issued flash flood and severe thunderstorm warnings for a portion of eastern Los Angeles County. The heavy rain triggered a rockslide and caused mud to spill onto the road in Malibu Canyon, while a substantial debris flow left approximately 8 inches (about 20 centimeters) of mud covering a road in the Hollywood Hills.
Southern California could receive up to 6 inches (about 15 centimeters) of rain in the mountains and 3 inches (nearly 8 centimeters) in coastal regions and valleys before the system departs on Friday, according to Brent Bower, a hydrologist with the National Weather Service. Strong winds could topple trees, lead to power outages, and cause flight delays.
Evacuation orders and warnings were issued in areas where hillsides were damaged by the Palisades Fire, the most destructive in LA history. Burned areas are susceptible to mudslides because the vegetation that stabilizes the soil has been destroyed. The fires also added loose debris to the environment, including ash, soil, and rocks.
Officials distributed sandbags, positioned rescue swimmers in advance, and advised residents to have go-bags prepared. Sandbags and temporary concrete barriers were set up throughout Altadena, where the Eaton Fire destroyed thousands of homes.
“If you can, stay off the roads today, especially this afternoon and evening,” the Los Angeles weather service office posted on X.
Malibu schools were closed on Thursday. In Orange County to the south, Knott’s Berry Farm amusement park shut down due to the atmospheric river, a long band of water vapor that forms over the ocean and moves moisture from the tropics to northern latitudes.
Despite recent storms, much of Southern California remains in extreme or severe drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at the University of California, Los Angeles, noted that while the region urgently needs rain, this storm could deliver too much too fast.
In Altadena, Mehran Daoudian got ready for the rain by covering a hole in his home's roof, caused by a fire last month, with a tarp. Daoudian expressed gratitude for the city workers who had set up sandbags and concrete barriers in his neighborhood recently. “I did not leave the cars on the street because with the mudslide, (they) might go down,” he explained.
In the San Francisco Bay Area, there were power outages, minor landslides, and flooded roads. North of the city in wine country, there were significant concerns along the flood-prone Russian River. Authorities advised residents to evacuate Felton Grove, a small community on California’s central coast, as the San Lorenzo River posed a threat of overflowing.
In neighboring Nevada, the weather service reported measurable rain in Las Vegas on Thursday, breaking a 214-day dry spell without precipitation.
In northern Utah, a combination of rain and snow resulted in hazardous driving conditions on mountain roads leading to the state's numerous ski resorts. The Utah Department of Transportation issued a road safety alert on Thursday, cautioning about a heavy mix of snow and rain through Friday.
Heavy Snow and Freezing Rain Hit the East
Classes were canceled or delayed on Thursday in numerous New England districts due to snow and ice creating hazardous driving conditions. Maine State Police reported they are investigating a fatal crash involving a tractor-trailer on the Maine Turnpike that resulted in two deaths.
Thursday’s storms followed two days of intense snow and freezing rain across the eastern U.S., from Kentucky to Washington, D.C., leading to hundreds of traffic incidents, power outages affecting tens of thousands, and potential flooding of waterways.
By Thursday evening, 130,000 customers in Virginia and around 6,600 in North Carolina remained without power, according to PowerOutage.us.
Two Tornadoes in Mississippi
The National Weather Service confirmed two brief EF-0 tornadoes in Mississippi on Wednesday, one of which tore off the steel roof of an industrial building and damaged several homes in Columbia. There were no reported deaths or major injuries, as Columbia Mayor Justin McKenzie informed WDAM-TV.
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Whittle reported from Scarborough, Maine. Journalists from News Blend 360 across the U.S. contributed to this report.
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