I'm flying into Portland and want to take the 101 to San Francisco. However, my trip is in early February. How safe are the roads in winter time (ice, snow etc..)? What should I expect? Will a compact car do? Any information please.

We live in Seattle, and when we drive south in the winter, we go via 101 to avoid closures on I-5. We have not had any problems.

Here are telephone numbers we call to learn about road conditions: WA 206 368-4499 and 888 766-4636, OR 503 588-2941 and 800 977-6368, NV 877 687-6237 and 800 427-7623, CA 916 445-7623 and 800 427-7623.

Some of the toll-free numbers are for in-state use only.

We drive a Honda Accord.

Very low chance of ice/snow (not impossible but rare.)

However make sure the windshield wipers are in A-1 condition.

High winds are more likely than snow but those are few and far between.
We did encounter snow the time we drove down interstate 5 one March
near Ashland so now we always go 101.
Hope you have time to enjoy the scenery!!!

Thanks so much for your help. I live in Arizona (rain, what's that?). So I needed to know what kind of conditions I would be driving in. I can't wait for the trip. I turned down Hawaii (been there twice) to do this. I thought this would be more of an adventure. Thanks again.

azbec___

In winter you could get into some big ocean storms on Oregon 101 with lots of wind and rain. ( My Dad used to say that in Curry County - Gold Beach - the rain came in sideways!) :-B