We continue our comprehensive team coverage of the Portland Thin Layer of Snow on the Ground of 2007 with a live update from right outside the Storm Center. The temperature has crept up to 33 degrees, and since water remains frozen only up to 32 degrees, the snow has begun to melt. Yesterday's excellent cross-country skiing conditions on city streets have begun to deteriorate to slick, resembling a spring afternoon on Mount Hood.

Outside public buildings in the Storm Center neighborhood -- the library branch, the public school, the post office -- a horrible insult to our environment can be seen. Government agencies have actually sprinkled salt and liquid de-icer on the snow to make the sidewalks safe for pedestrians. Good God, people, have you no conscience? Think of what you're doing to the salmon!

It's going to drop below freezing tonight, which means that whatever melts this afternoon will be pure ice by morning. Mayor Potter has urged all Portland employers to kiss any level of productivity goodbye for the remainder of the week.

In this neck of the woods, the city has done next to nothing. There is sand on Fremont Street and on NE 15th Avenue, but not a grain of it on NE 21st or Knott, and none in the offing. Of course, no snow plow has been seen in this area for decades, and so conditions on the roads do not appear likely to improve unless and until things warm up substantially. The weather forecast for Friday calls for rain and 40 degrees, which may do the trick, but of course, keep in mind that that's a Portland weather forecast and subject to change at any time up until the meteorologists go outside.

Stay tuned to bojack.org Storm Center 9000, where we'll continue to keep you up-to-date on all the news you could have seen by looking out your window.