Winter Tips

Bend is a 3,623-foot-elevation town known for great downhill and Nordic skiing. That means we get snow! Average snowfall is more than 33 inches of snow in a winter. During the 2016-2017 season, we received nearly 60 inches!

Storms vary in severity from a couple of inches to more than a foot. The severity of snow and road conditions also can vary depending on which part of town you live in.

It takes some effort to maintain your lifestyle with that kind of weather, so it is very important to be prepared.

Get the resources and supplies you need on hand before you’re snowed in. It’s never too soon to make some phone lists, find your snow tires and buy snow shovels and roof rakes.

Winter driving can be tricky. As for our roads, the City has a winter plan that prioritizes passage for emergency vehicles and on the major roads that help keep our community functioning.

Find out where our fleet is working during a storm clean up.

Open map in full screen.

This map shows roads that have been serviced by the City’s snowplows, sanders, graders and de-icing equipment, with a 30-minute delay.

Please take a look at the Streets Department’s Snow FAQs for more information.

Before you Hit the Road

• Check the latest road conditions, closures, and traffic spots at tripcheck.com. This site gives you a full view of the area. 
• Respect Detours: Sometimes, emergencies cause detours on the road. Please follow them to keep everyone safe. 
• Weather Information: Stay updated with the latest weather forecast at noaa.gov. 

New to Winter Driving?

• Drivers need the experience and equipment to drive safety in Bend during the winter months. The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) offers helpful Winter Driving Tips.
• Many Bend drivers use traction tires to get where they need to go. Visit ODOT’s traction tires page for more information.

Whenever possible, park your vehicle in a safe location and off the street during snow storms if possible. Parking can actually impede snow plows and make roadways narrower, sometimes impassable to emergency vehicles.

Emergency Snow Zone Parking Restrictions

The Streets and Operations Department has a plan for how we should deal with certain problematic streets where on-street parking during particularly heavy snowfalls have contributed to increasingly narrow and sometimes impassable roads. Please see the Emergency Snow Zones maps on the Winter Street Operations page for more information.

If your vehicle is buried and cannot be moved:

If your vehicle is buried in snow in the right-of-way and cannot be moved, make every attempt to periodically clear off built up snow. Pile snow away from the right-of-way and as far back from storm drains. Plows cannot always judge a vehicle vs. a large snow berm. Do your part in removing obstacles that may be in the way of the plows.

Doing Business in Downtown?

Don’t forget there’s a parking garage if you need to park while you’re downtown. Parking in the garage at 61 NW Oregon Avenue is a great alternative to on-street parking and will help you to keep your windshield from getting buried in snow while you’re out!

The City of Bend snow plow operators take pride in clearing the streets on their routes as quickly and thoroughly as possible. We strive to keep traffic moving during extreme weather conditions and travel will be limited. We ask the community to drive cautiously, safely and do not follow closely behind nor pass the snowplows.

How Does the City Prioritize Streets to Plow and Sand?

Staff prioritizes plowing and sanding on the highest-use streets that accommodate the most drivers, major employment areas, schools and transit routes.

During a big snow storm, City officials will consider whether to call contractors to help City snowplow crews, based on a variety of variables including the weather forecast. Contractors are typically used to help clear local, residential streets.

For more information and a map of the priority plowing and sanding zones, please see the Street Priority Levels section on the Streets Department’s Winter Operations page.

Snow Berms

Do not let children play in snow berms near roads! Encourage children to play and build their “snow forts” in the back/front yard or on private property and NOT in the right-of-way snow/ice berms. Plows cannot always see children!

Minimize potential for snow berms in front of your driveway. To do so, clear a wide apron in front and to the right of your driveway or walkway (when facing your property from the street). This allows snow that the plow has accumulated to drop off before it reaches your driveway.

If you believe plows have missed your street, please fill out a Service Request or call the Streets Department at (541) 323-5980.

Many of our neighbors rely on a clear sidewalk to get to and from work, school or bus stops. To help keep our sidewalks safe and passable for your neighbors during winter snow storms, it is the responsibility of property owners to shovel sidewalks that border your property.

Snow removal guides and helpful tips

Tips From Some Old-Timers:

1. Shovel snow before it gets packed down or endures a freeze-thaw cycle, because it gets a lot harder to remove if you wait.
2. DO NOT move snow into the street. It could potentially be plowed right back onto the areas you just cleared. Deposit snow on the front yard or in areas away from the street and sidewalks.
3. While you’re out there, don’t forget to shovel out the fire hydrant. In the event of a house fire, firefighters should spend those precious minutes protecting your house, not shoveling out the fire hydrant. Help them protect your property by keeping hydrants clear. Check out this easy-to-use interactive map to assist you in locating hydrants, should they become covered in snow:

HYDRANT MAP