Freezing rain downs trees, powerlines in Portland, Pacific Northwest

PORTLAND, Ore. — Freezing rain downed trees and power lines and stranded some light-rail passengers in Portland for about three hours Saturday as the first winter storm of the season continued.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reports nearly 24,000 Portland General Electric customers remained without power.

Light-rail lines were delayed primarily because of ice on the east side of town and downed power lines closed a number of streets.

The ice followed snow that fell Friday.

All lanes of Interstate 84 were closed Saturday morning from Troutdale to Hood River because of icy conditions.

Portland General Electric spokesman Steve Corson says there was quite a bit of ice that weighed down the trees and frozen limbs started to drop.

The National Weather Service also issued an ice storm warning and winter storm warning for much of the Columbia River Gorge through early Saturday and said travel would be difficult.

In Washington, the State Patrol said Friday night that troopers had investigated 113 collisions in the past 24 hours in King County.

A winter storm warning was issued through Saturday for Southeast Washington and Northeast Oregon.