As snow blankets Peninsula, drivers take care; few wrecks reported

PORT ANGELES — Snow that blanketed much of western Washington on Monday didn’t create too many problems on the North Olympic Peninsula, officials said.

As residents shoveled their driveways and children off from school sledded down hills, most drivers managed to stay on the roads, said Sgt. Randy Pieper of the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office.

Pieper said by Monday afternoon, just a handful of wrecks — mostly vehicles slid into ditches — had been reported.

The Clallam Sheriff’s Office assisted on a rollover wreck on U.S. Highway 101 in Blyn near 7 Cedars Casino, he said.

By the afternoon, most roads were bare and wet in the Port Angeles and Sequim areas he said, with compact snow up at higher elevations.

A tree fell across Salt Creek Road. No injuries were reported.

Jefferson County also had few wrecks, said Bill Beezley, spokesperson for East Jefferson Fire-Rescue.

He said there was one wreck in the morning where a woman slid into a ditch near South Discovery Road and South Jacob Miller Road. It wasn’t clear if it was caused by the snowy conditions, he said. The driver, who was not identified was transported to Jefferson Healthcare hospital, he said.

“It’s been pretty quiet,” Beezley said. “Knock on wood.”

The snow prompted school closures in the Port Angeles, Sequim, Quilcene and Brinnon school districts Monday, with Port Townsend operating on a two-hour delay with no preschool and buses using snow routes. Chimacum was also on a two-hour delay.

Peninsula College closed all of its campuses Monday, and both Clallam and Jefferson Transit warned travelers to expect delays. Clallam Transit operated on snow detour routes.

Port Angeles School District announced on Monday a two-hour delay planned for today with buses operating on snow routes unless weather worsens.

For information on snow schedules today at Peninsula school districts, see the district websites.

Most areas of Sequim and Port Angeles reported snowfall of between 3 and 6 inches, said Gary Schneider, a National Weather Service meteorologist.

He said Port Townsend and much of east Jefferson County got a little less with up to two inches.

“There might have been snow shadows in place,” he said.

However, Brinnon reported 6 inches, he said.

One reader who lives in Eden Valley west of Port Angeles said she had more than a foot of snow fall since Sunday.

Schneider anticipated the snow would probably stick around for the next couple days, likely until Thursday when it’s expected to warm up to around 50.

“Whatever snow is around will melt off slowly, but will be around for a few days,” he said.

There may be snow showers off and on until it warms up Thursday, but there shouldn’t be much accumulation, he said.

Bill Paul, Clallam Fire District No. 1, said there hadn’t been any wrecks reported in the Forks or Beaver areas by Monday afternoon, which he found surprising.

He had been in Beaver so he could be prepared for any calls, he said.

“It’s been pretty quiet so far,” he said.

He estimated there had been about two inches of snow near Beaver and said U.S. Highway 101 between Forks and Beaver to Lake Crescent was covered in compact snow and ice.

Michael Howe, spokesperson for Clallam County Public Utility District said a tree fell across a power line on Gasman Road, cutting electrical power to 74 customers.

By 1:14 p.m. Monday power was restored to everyone, he said.

Jefferson County Public Utility District reported no electrical power outages by late Monday afternoon.

Some businesses closed early to allow employees to go home as snow continued to fall Monday afternoon.

Lowland snow is likely through Wednesday, the National Weather Service said.

Hurricane Ridge, which is at 5,242 feet, reported 15 inches of new snow overnight with a total of 86 inches of snow at the sensor.

The snowstorm that blanketed Western Washington prompted widespread school closures, flight cancellations and power outages for more than 75,000 electrical utility customers across the state, officials said.

The storm that started Sunday night caused a messy morning commute for Seattle residents and dozens of flights were cancelled at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport because of snow and ice.

Forecasters said as much as 30 inches of snow could fall in the Cascade Mountains, and Interstate 90 over Snoqualmie pass was closed to motorists Monday morning because of heavy snow.

The storm hit Seattle after one storm after another has slammed Portland, Ore. Forecasts for a major snowstorm for Portland turned out false as temperatures remained above freezing.

But heavy rain fell in Portland and pushed some rivers toward flood stage.

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Reporter Jesse Major can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56250, or at jmajor@peninsuladailynews.com.