The University of Oregon announced in a UO Alert at 8:06 a.m. that all Monday classes and events are canceled and that all campus offices are closed, after initially canceling only those starting earlier than 1 p.m.
The Eugene Police Department is warning residents to stay home due to the “extremely dangerous travel conditions,” with downed trees and fallen power lines in several areas of the city. EPD recommends that if residents have to drive, they should do so cautiously and check their tire pressure.
Facilities such as the EMU and the Student Recreation Center are also closed for the day, according to replies to UO’s original tweet.
UO’s decision to cancel classes and close campus offices begins with reaching out to community partners such as Lane Transit District, other school districts and colleges as well as Eugene and Springfield Public Works to see how they are reacting to the weather, according to a 2013 AroundtheO article.
The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for Monday morning that will remain in effect until 1 p.m. The NWS forecasts rain possibly mixed with snow showers from 1 to 5 p.m, with a slight chance of rain showers in the evening.
[Check out the Emerald’s photos of the snow day here.]
Snow began accumulating in the South Willamette Valley around 11 p.m. last night, according to an NWS tweet. According to an NWS statement from this morning, snow measurements in the South Willamette Valley are ranging from half an inch in northeast Corvallis to 1 foot in southeast Eugene.
At 3:50 a.m., Eugene announced an ice/snow emergency due to the weather and stated that snow plow operators are sanding priority routes. Lane Transit District has also suspended all services, according to a tweet early this morning.
Several school districts, including the Eugene, Bethel and Springfield districts, among others, are closed for the day. Lane Community College is also closed.
Tonight, the NWS states that there’s also a slight chance of snow showers in the later evening, with a 20 percent chance of precipitation.
The NWS forecasts that Tuesday will be partly sunny, with a high near 40 degrees, with little to no snow. It estimates a 30 percent chance of evening showers.
More information about UO’s procedures for inclement weather can be found here.
