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According to the CDC, perishables in the refrigerator should be thrown away after a four hour power outage. Food in a full freezer, if it's left closed so the cold doesn’t escape, can last 48 hours.

Late Thursday, Gov. Tina Kotek declared a state of emergency over the fatal storm that has iced sidewalks and roads around the state, caused widespread power outages and damaged scores of homes and vehicles.

Tuesday's emergency proclamation is the first step in requesting state or federal recovery assistance.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture painted a dire picture of snow packs in its Jan. 1 water outlook report. That report showed that most Oregon snowpacks were well below normal levels.

A winter storm passing through the region is causing closures or delays along higher-elevation highways and roads.

A winter storm could bring 10-16 inches of snow in the Southern Oregon Cascades and Siskiyous Tuesday night.

The storm is expected to arrive early on Friday morning and move eastward on Sunday.

The National Weather Service has issued high surf warnings for much of the West Coast and parts of Hawaii, describing the waves and rip currents expected to hit certain coastlines as potentially dangerous and life-threatening.

Oregon’s top elected officials pledged to spend millions of dollars on winter road maintenance after dire warnings from the state Department of Transportation that highways would go unplowed because of a budget shortfall.

This winter, researchers predicted record-breaking snowpack and precipitation would mean a reduced risk for massive wildfires. So far, that theory has held up.

During spring’s prime calving season, lots of newborn calves have been dying from the cold.

California ended its voluntary statewide target, triggering concerns from experts that many water supplies remain depleted. Other drought measures remain in place.