Winter’s grip remains tight as spring arrives

Old Man Winter is expected to keep his grip on Clark County on Monday morning but a forecaster said he did not see snow being a factor.

Hail was the big player Sunday, hitting at about 7 p.m., and it contributed to six crashes on Interstate 5 between Battle Ground and La Center, a Washington State Patrol dispatcher said. No serious injuries were reported.

Chris Collins, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Portland, said the weather service received reports of up to an inch of hail.

“There’s pea-sized hail that’s covered the ground and I’ve never seen it quite that large out here,” Jim Flaherty said Sunday evening. He lives northwest of Dollars Corner.

Collins said Monday’s low is predicted to be 34 in Clark County, with highs in the mid-40s. He did not see snow being a factor in Clark County.

Snow was reported in parts of the county Sunday, including Chelatchie Prairie and Hockinson.

Spring officially arrives at 10:14 p.m. Monday; 24 hours earlier, snow and slush were reported on some roads in north Clark County.