BEND, OR -- The first big snow of the season fell on Central Oregon roads Tuesday morning. Chuck Swann, Street Division Manager for the City of Bend, says above-freezing temperatures helped the Street Division crews but icy conditions are possible over the next couple of days, “We’ll have our morning crew of about 15 staff that will be in at 4 am early before the commute running all of our sanding trucks.”

Swann has some tips for handling winter driving, “First thing is if you don’t need to drive when it’s icy, don’t. If you can stay home, stay home. But when you’re approaching plows try not to ever pass on the right. Leave yourself plenty of stopping distance. Those trucks make sudden stops and you want to make sure you leave plenty of clearance. Take your time. Don’t be in a rush to go anywhere. Enjoy it. It’s beautiful here when it snows, and we need it. I think if everybody just slows down, not in a rush, leave a little bit early. We’ll acclimate like we do every year.”

Freezing or nearly freezing overnight temperatures are forecast for the rest of the week.