PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Oregon Dept. of Transportation officials are keeping a close eye as a winter storm system moves through the Columbia River Gorge, preparing to close I-84 if conditions worsen.

“The gorge really gets all kinds of different weather systems out there and gets a lot of different microclimates,” ODOT’s Don Hamilton said.

In advance of the latest winter storm making its way through the gorge, the Oregon Dept. of Transportation already started treating major roads like I-84 with de-icer in the days leading up.

Snow chances decrease around Portland Thursday morning

“That’s the one thing we can do in advance of a storm coming down. We can’t really do anything like plow or sand or put salt on anything until something’s actually falling from the sky,” Hamilton said.

On Wednesday evening, much of the I-84 corridor past Troutdale mostly saw heavy rain or a slushy wintery mix, but in Hood River, snow started to fall. The Hood River Fire Department tells KOIN 6 they’re also prepared for conditions that may come through, calling the town “resilient.”

As for the road to Hood River and beyond, ODOT says if conditions worsen, they’re prepared to close I-84 at Troutdale if need-be.

West Hills residents stock up ahead of possible snow

“If we start to see trucks spinning out along in there, if we see dangerous conditions out there, we’re going to close that road,” Hamilton said. “We’re going to make sure that we can keep the roads safe.”

If you do have travel plans through the Cascades or the gorge during this winter weather system, ODOT advises checking TripCheck online for the latest road conditions and closures.

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