Theo Sulphate
Member
...
after a few inches of snow the transport system grinds to a halt and the schools are closed ...
A few inches of snow, or even less, would always create a mess in Portland, Oregon. The place is hilly, many haven't driven in snow before, so there are accidents all over on the roads. Schools and businesses close at the first snowflake. The real danger is from snow melting and then water freezing on the roads.
Rain from the west falling through cold winds from the east, through the Columbia Gorge, causes freezing rain and ice storms where there's a layer of ice over everything. Nothing moves on the roads.