The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

Sisters got its first decent winter snowfall last week as a storm that was supposed to provide just a dusting proved considerably more robust and blanketed town with better than four inches of the white stuff.

Friday’s snowfall snarled traffic on local highways, with different crashes throughout the day periodically closing Highway 20 both west and east of town and blocking traffic on Highway 126 toward Redmond. With a little more snow in the forecast, Oregon State Police reminded drivers of the importance of some basic safety tips:

• Check your route and the weather. Use www.tripcheck.com for updated road closures and chain requirements.

• Drive slowly. Always adjust your speed down to account for lower traction when driving on snow or ice.

• Accelerate and decelerate slowly. Apply the gas slowly to regain traction and avoid skids. Don’t try to get moving in a hurry and take time to slow down for a stoplight.

• Remember: It takes longer to slow down on icy roads. Increase your following distance to five to six seconds. This increased margin of safety will provide the longer distance needed if you have to stop.

• Know your brakes. Whether you have anti-lock brakes or not, keep the heel of your foot on the floor and use the ball of your foot to apply firm, steady pressure on the brake pedal.

• Don’t stop if you can avoid it. There’s a big difference in the amount of inertia it takes to start moving from a full stop versus how much it takes to get moving while still rolling. If you can slow down enough to keep rolling until a traffic light changes, do it.

• Don’t power up hills. Applying extra gas on snow-covered roads will just make your wheels spin. Try to get a little inertia going before you reach the hill and let that inertia carry you to the top. As you reach the crest of the hill, reduce your speed and proceed downhill slowly.

• Don’t stop while going up a hill. There’s nothing worse than trying to get moving up a hill on an icy road. Get some inertia going on a flat roadway before you take on the hill.

• It is also a good idea to stay home and only go out if necessary. Even if you can drive well in bad weather, it’s better to avoid taking unnecessary risks by venturing out.

The snowfall, especially at higher elevations, is good news for irrigators and for winter recreation. As of the beginning of the week, Hoodoo was reporting a 50.6-inch base. The weather forecast on the Santiam Pass promises a solid week of snow and snow showers, which should add several inches to the base and make for good skiing conditions for the foreseeable future.

The forecast is more mixed down at Sisters’ elevation, with a blend of rain/snow showers predicted for several days.