Multiple wrecks and vehicles in ditches peppered the roads on the North Olympic Peninsula on Thursday afternoon after temperatures and snow began falling.
Wrecks blocked at least two roads east of Agnew in Clallam County and cars were in ditches on state Highways 104, 19 and 20 in East Jefferson County, said Trooper Katherine Weatherwax, Washington State Patrol spokesperson. Weatherwax was speaking from memory at 7:40 p.m. Thursday as she drove to Bremerton from Forks, where a fatality occurred at 10:13 a.m. before the snow began falling.
“Stay off the roads” was her best advice.
Weatherwax said earlier, at about 5:30 p.m., that Kitchen-Dick Road was closed. The state Department of Transportation reported a collision on westbound U.S. Highway near Kitchen-Dick Road beginning at 5:27 p.m. Weatherwax said later that she thought that wreck consisted of three vehicles.
Weatherwax also said eastbound Highway 101 at Barr Road was blocked. Her memory was that this was due to a 10-car wreck.
Cars were reported in the ditch along Chicken Coop Road and traffic on Diamond Point Road near the county line was traveling at 17 mph after multiple cars went into the ditches, she said.
Multiple crashes happened on Highway 104 at about milepost 1 to 2, Weatherwax said, while spin-outs were reported on state highways 19 and 20.
“The snow really starts just west of 19,” she said at 7:40 p.m. Thursday. “After 19 toward the bridge, you’re fine.”
On U.S. Highway 101, all eastbound lanes were blocked at milepost 252 near Morse Creek, DOT reported at 7:22 p.m.
The National Weather Service’s winter weather advisory issued at 4:38 p.m. expires at midnight Thursday, but the wind chill advisory remains in effect until 7 a.m. Saturday.
“Additional snowfall of 1 to 3 inches. Very cold wind chills expected. Wind chills as low as 0 degrees to 5 below zero. Snow is likely to taper off later (Thursday). The coldest wind chill values will be felt primarily at night,” the weather service said.
In addition, Port Angeles, Sequim and Port Townsend school districts have canceled classes for Friday.
Chimacum School District announced Thursday night that classes will start two hours late on Friday. No preschool is scheduled that day. Both morning and afternoon buses will be on snow routes.
