It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in the Canby area — and not just because downtown streets, along with businesses and homes throughout the community, have donned their lights, boughs of holly and other traditional holiday finery.
Winter weather has also arrived in recent days, with freezing temperatures and even a bit of snow impacting residents and schools.
The Canby School District opened two hours later Monday morning due to icy conditions, with classes at Baker Prairie Middle School and Canby High starting at 10:40 a.m., and elementary and Ninety-One School starting at 10 a.m.
Most other districts in Clackamas County also observed the two-hour late start, including Oregon City and Molalla, as temperatures hovered just above freezing in the early morning hours.
The delays came one day after the area’s first real snow, a dusting on Sunday morning that lasted a few hours and whitened a few lawns but failed to stick to roads and sidewalks. According to the National Weather Service, the highest snowfall totals were in eastern Multnomah and Clackamas counties, with accumulation of up to three inches reported in rural areas around Sandy, Hood River and Gresham.
Current forecasts predict slightly warmer weather in the week ahead, with highs in the mid-40s and lows in the mid to high 30s.
Winter weather warnings the previous week largely failed to materialize in the valley, though areas surrounding Mount Hood were blanketed.
Officials with the Mount Hood National Forest and Multnomah County announced on November 29 that they would be closing several seasonal gates due to unsafe driving conditions, including Trillium Lake and Upper Larch Mountain Road. Visit TripCheck.com or call 5-1-1 for updated road conditions.
Clackamas County’s network of warming centers and shelters continues to operate when the weather is predicted to be 33 degrees or lower (including wind chill) or when other conditions (snow, wind, flooding or other weather conditions) make sleeping outdoors especially dangerous.
Overnight shelter is available in Canby at Zoar Lutheran Church, 190 Southwest 3rd Avenue, from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. A meal will be offered after church activities.
Dogs on leash and small pets in carriers are welcome, but confirm with staff. For information, call 503-266-4061.
Shelters are also available at the Molalla Hope Center, 209 Kennel Avenue, and the Father’s Heart Street Ministry in Oregon City, 603 12th Street, call 503-722-9780.
The Canby Public Library, 220 Northeast 2nd Avenue, is also available as a daytime warming center during normal business hours, whenever temperatures reach 35 degrees or lower for a maximum stay of two hours.
For a complete list of daytime warming centers and other information, visit clackamas.us/relief.