I-84 · OR / ID
I-84 through the Blue Mountains: road conditions right now
Portland, OR to Boise, ID
Between Pendleton and La Grande, I-84 climbs Cabbage Hill (Emigrant Hill) to over 4,000 feet through the Blue Mountains. Freezing fog, ice, and truck crashes close it regularly, and ODOT often requires chains on the grade.
Conditions at Sat, 1:18 PM PDT
Highest risk along I-84: 5 of 5 (severe), departing at that time.
- No active NWS alerts on this route.
- DOT: Road closed — N 10th Ave (westbound)
The road authority linked below has the final word on closures and chain requirements.
Severe risk at Boise, ID (road closed)
Conditions: Cloudy, Light rain
Checkpoints along I-84
| Where | You pass | Weather | Risk | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland, OR | Sat 2:00 PM | 51°F | low | Nothing flagged |
| White Salmon, WA | Sat 3:00 PM | 46°F | low | Sources differ on temperature: NWS 53°F vs 46°F |
| I-84 between White Salmon, WA and Pendleton, OR | Sat 4:00 PM | 47°F | low | Nothing flagged |
| Pendleton, OR | Sat 5:00 PM | 44°F | low | Nothing flagged |
| Island City, OR | Sat 6:00 PM | 44°F | low | Sources differ: NWS says Slight Chance Rain Showers at 46°F |
| Weiser, ID | Sat 7:00 PM | 48°F | low | Nothing flagged |
| Caldwell, ID | Sat 8:00 PM | 49°F | low | Nothing flagged |
| Boise, ID | Sat 8:24 PM | 50°F | severe | Idaho 511: Road closed — N 10th Ave (westbound) |
Why this stretch is hard in winter
- Cabbage Hill is a 6% grade with hairpin curves; it is where most winter closures start.
- Freezing fog settles in the Columbia Basin between The Dalles and Pendleton and glazes the road without any snow falling.
- Deadman Pass (4,193 ft) and the Ladd Canyon stretch near La Grande are the other two frequent closure points.
- The Columbia River Gorge segment closes for east-wind ice storms that coat everything from Hood River to Troutdale.
What this page checks
- Hourly forecast at every checkpoint for the time you would be there: temperature, precipitation type and rate, gusts, visibility.
- Active National Weather Service watches, warnings, and advisories on the route.
- Snow on the ground (NOAA SNODAS) and the Weather Prediction Center winter impact outlook.
- Pavement temperature and surface state from state DOT road sensors, when you are leaving within a few hours.
- Chain controls, closures, and winter road condition reports from state DOT feeds where they are published openly.
- Seasonal closures of mountain roads the router might otherwise use.
Official sources for this corridor
Questions drivers ask about I-84
- Are chains required on Cabbage Hill?
- Frequently for trucks and sometimes for all vehicles. ODOT posts "chains required" on TripCheck and roadside signs; carrying chains is required in the Blue Mountains from Nov 1 through Apr 30 when conditional signs are posted.
Conditions change by the hour. This page is a planning aid built on public forecasts and DOT feeds; the road authority linked above has the final word on closures and chain requirements.
Other corridors: I-80 across Wyoming · I-70 through the Colorado mountains · I-80 over Donner Pass · I-90 over Snoqualmie Pass · I-15 over Cajon Pass · I-90 across South Dakota · all corridors