Peninsula Daily News staff
and news services
(EDITOR’S NOTE — PLEASE BLOG at the end of this story with your reports on snow, school closures, road conditions and all other things weather related. Many thanks.)
AS THE NORTH OLYMPIC PENINSULA woke up this morning to an expected 1 to 3 inches of new snow, the National Weather Service warns that more severe winter weather could be on the way.
Storms may bring up 6 to 10 inches of snow Wednesday in some areas of Jefferson and Clallam counties.
This would be one of the Peninsula’s heaviest snowstorms in years.
“I’d recommend staying home if you can,” said Johnny Burg, an NWS meteorologist. “I definitely would if I could.”
With snow falling and temperatures hovering around freezing this morning, the state Department of Transportation was preparing for chaos on slick roads, schools were announcing closures (see related story today, https://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20120117/NEWS/301179991/how-to-get-school-status-information-on-snow-days) — and avalanche warnings were issued for the Olympic mountains.
Today’s snow is expected to taper off by afternoon, with the major storm arriving after nightfall.
Public-school closures are almost inevitable for the next couple of days.
Virtually all schools, including Peninsula College, and many businesses were closed today.
“It will be snowing everywhere on Wednesday. Not showers, but heavy, widespread snowfall all day,” said Chris Burke of the National Weather Service.
“The National Weather Service says it will be bad all over [western Washington],” said Dave McCormick, WSDOT’s regional maintenance manager. “We are preparing for ‘bad all over,’ and drivers should too.”
“If you must travel,” the Weather Service says, “carry an extra flashlight, food, water and blankets in case of emergency.”
Snow totals are expected to be counted in feet in the mountains.
Avalanche warnings have been issued today for above 4,000 feet in the Olympics and Cascades.
By Thursday, temperatures will climb into the 40s but precipitation is likely to continue through the weekend, Burg said.
There is not a dry day in sight, he said.
Temperatures might dip below freezing again Saturday night, with a possibility of more snow before temperatures warm again Sunday.
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EARLIER STORY THIS MORNING:
Peninsula Daily News
PORT ANGELES — Side streets and rural roads remained icy on the North Olympic Peninsula on Monday, while state highways and main arterials dried out in a respite between winter storms.
No widespread wrecks were reported in Clallam or Jefferson counties Monday, and no weather-related power outages were reported by the Clallam County Public Utility District, city of Port Angeles or Puget Sound Energy.
On Sunday, county roads were especially icy since Clallam County elected earlier this year to refrain from plowing county roads on holidays and weekend to save an estimated $150,000 in overtime costs.
Port Angeles Deputy Police Chief Brian Smith said officers responded to seven significant wrecks and seven stall-outs that blocked city streets Sunday.
“Our patrol officers and city plows were very, very busy yesterday,” Smith said.
He said Monday was a “big improvement” on the roads.
“Today, we had nothing,” Smith said.
Smith advised motorists to be prepared for adverse driving conditions.
Clallam County Undersheriff Ron Peregrin said deputies reported no significant wrecks on county roads Monday.
A JeffCom dispatcher said there were no reports of ice-related wrecks in Jefferson County on Monday.
Sgt. Ed Green with the Port Townsend Police Department said city streets were in good condition Monday.
