[im_down_w_otp]

The snow is also much more wet and slick in the PNW along the Puget Sound and down the Willamette River Valley than it is in many other places that receive regular annual snowfall. Mostly because when it snows in Seattle, Tacoma, Portland, etc. the temperature is hovering right at the melting point, so the snow compacts to a slick ice-like form quickly. Even up at the ski resorts on places like Mt. Hood the snow is damp and heavy feeling compared to the crisp and fluffy snow in the Rockies, for example.

That said, having spent most of my life in Portland and also most of my life driving in the mountains in the winter to ski & snowboard, I can confirm that people in Portland can't drive in the snow. It's almost as amusing as people driving in San Diego in the rain. :-)

[selimthegrim]

I did OK in the snow on the hills there with a standard/stick shift (though front wheel drive) Jetta TDI, although it did have traction control

[selimthegrim]

I should add this was Feb 2014 for context