Multnomah County, Oregon, where Portland is located, has officials saying they will announce a state of emergency on Wednesday night because of the possibility of snow.
The National Weather Service predicts that from Wednesday night until Thursday afternoon, the Portland area might see up to 3 inches (7.6 centimetres) of snow. A forecast for wind gusts as high as 40 mph (64 kph) was also given.
According to officials, 4 severe weather shelters are going to be available across the county from 8 p.m. on Wednesday through at least 10 a.m. on Thursday. They also stated that, depending on the situation, they were ready to maintain the shelters open later. Additionally, a Portland year-round shelter would temporarily increase beds.