Roads crews are preparing for the potential of ice and snow this weekend.
Staff with the Portland Bureau of Transportation started using deicer in the higher elevations and overpasses over the last few days.
Now, the Oregon Department of Transportation says it is watching the forecast to see if it needs to use those tools as well.
Both agencies are adding crews in the days ahead. ODOT says staffing has not improved throughout the winter season.
"We still are concerned about staffing. If we run into a bad winter event, and if we start to go to around the clock shifts, we may run into some serious problems with staffing,” said spokesperson Don Hamilton. “That’s going to mean that we’re not going to get the roads cleared as quickly as we might otherwise hope to."
This weekend, ODOT says its focus is the West Hills, the coast, the Cascades, and the Columbia River Gorge.
Staff say they are prepared with tools like salt throughout the region, if needed.
KATU Meteorologist Dave Salesky says to expect rain showers Saturday, with possible snow flurries beginning at 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Any accumulation is expected at the higher elevations around the city, but even in the West Hills, only about a half-inch is expected.
“Cooler air is going to begin to move in -- that’s going to be the big story,” Salesky said. “A little bit of precipitation that generates some snow, some flurries in the valley floor, but places like Hood River, they’ll see more snow there and also some strong winds and bitterly cold temperatures.”
Strong east winds out of the Gorge will kick in, too, with gusts possible between 40 mph and 45 mph.
The high temperature Sunday will be 35. Low, 28.
The first days of next week look to be cold and dry.