A winter weather advisory is in effect for the Upper Hood River Valley until Thursday morning

At 1:58 a.m. Thursday, the National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory that was in effect until 7 a.m. for the Upper Hood River Valley.

The weather service adds: “Light snow, another 1 to 2 inches possible by 6 a.m. West to southwest winds will increase after 7 a.m., with gusts of 25 to 35 mph the remainder of the morning. Therefore, temperatures will rise into the upper 30s and lower 40s.”

“Roads and particularly bridges and overpasses can still be slippery and dangerous. Gusts could break tree branches this morning,” the weather service said.

By car through the winter: expert tips from the weather service for a safe journey

Winter weather can make driving treacherous, leading to over 6,000 weather-related traffic accidents and over 480,000 injuries each year. If you are driving in snow or freezing rain, prioritize safety and drive slower. When temperatures are near freezing, it’s safest to assume the roads are icy and adjust your driving accordingly. Be careful of ice accumulating on power lines or tree branches, which can lead to breakage and fall hazards. If possible, avoid driving in such conditions. If you must venture out, opt for routes with fewer trees and power lines. Never touch a downed power line and call 911 immediately if you encounter one. Here are more tips for driving in winter weather:

Share your travel plans:

If you are traveling out of town in dangerous winter weather, let your family or friends know your destination, planned route and expected arrival time.

Prepare your vehicle:

Make sure your gas tank is full and stock your vehicle with winter essentials, including a window scraper, jumper cables, a small shovel, a flashlight, a cell phone, a blanket, extra warm clothing, drinking water and high-calorie, non-perishable foods.

Stay calm when stranded:

If you get stuck, stay calm. Notify someone of your situation and location. Do not attempt to reach safety on foot. Attach a cloth to your car’s antenna or mirror to signal that you need help. Make your vehicle more visible by using the dome light and turn signals.

Beware of snow plows:

Keep an eye out for snow plows and make sure they have enough room to overtake. Only overtake a plow when you have a clear view of the road.

Check road conditions:

Before you travel, find out about current road conditions so you can make informed travel decisions.

Stay safe on winter roads with the Weather Service’s valuable winter driving tips and reduce the risk of accidents in difficult weather conditions.

Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service from United Robots that uses machine learning to compile the latest data from the National Weather Service.