Law enforcement and other government agencies in Central Oregon are asking people to stay home today if possible, to allow public works crews to continue clearing streets and highways.

Snow will continue to fall this afternoon and evening, with 6 to 12 inches more accumulation in Deschutes and Jefferson counties, according to the National Weather Service in Pendleton. The agency issued a winter storm warning this afternoon for much of the state, including Central Oregon, which is in effect until 10 p.m.

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office issued a plea in a news release this morning for residents to stay home and “please allow road crews to get the roads clear to ensure safe travel.”

Peter Murphy, a spokesman for the Oregon Department of Transportation, said the highways are clear of snow, but blowing snow is limiting visibility. Murphy also encouraged people to avoid driving.

In Bend, public works employees and contractors have been working around the clock to clear streets and have covered most of the city. But as snow continues to fall, the streets that crews recently cleared are covered again by the time workers return. Street Division manager Hardy Hanson also said it is much easier to clear the streets if most people stay home. Hanson asked that people shovel snow into piles on their property, not into the streets.

“It’s a lot of snow, so I wouldn’t say (the streets are) clear but they are passable,” Hanson said. “The problem is with the volumes of snow, we do it and in three to four hours, we have to do it again.”

City of Bend spokesman Justin Finestone said police and firefighters have not run into any problems responding to calls today.