Clark County only got a thin blanket of snow overnight Monday, but it was enough to cause a slow morning commute, school closures and dozens of crashes — and there’s likely more wintry weather to come.
Another weather system, similar to the system that brought snow to the area Monday night and early Tuesday, should move in by Friday. Chances of rain and snow, or just snow, will increase.
“It’s getting late in the year for these conditions, which are more common in December and January. This time of year, it becomes harder for (snow) to happen,” said Colby Neuman, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Portland.
Tuesday’s snowfall levels ranged from a half-inch in Salmon Creek and Vancouver to 4 inches in Camas, with the most falling at higher elevations. In some areas, the snow was underlain by ice, making driving treacherous.
The Vancouver, Battle Ground, Camas, Evergreen, Hockinson, La Center and Washougal school districts closed for the day. A few Clark County public and private schools held classes, but they started two hours late. Clark College canceled all classes starting before 10 a.m. Fort Vancouver Regional Libraries delayed opening most branches in the county and Woodland until 11 a.m.
Sunshine is expected today, Neuman said, but “the bigger story is (overnight Tuesday). It will be cold, likely the coldest it’s been this winter.”
Temperatures in the low 20s were forecasted for the Portland-Vancouver area, while Clark County communities farther north, such as Battle Ground and Hockinson, may see their temperatures dip into the teens, he said.
Wednesday’s high will reach into the upper 30s, thanks to the sunshine. Nighttime temperatures are expected to be mild compared to the previous night, in the mid- to low 20s.
Then, on Thursday, the mercury will creep up to about 40 degrees during the day, but there is a chance of snow later on.
“In reality, it’s just a slight chance,” Neuman said. “The storm system may move south and west of us.”
Roads, services
Crews from Clark County Public Works were out early Tuesday spraying deicer and applying gravel where needed in unincorporated Clark County.
“Across most of the county, including urban areas near the city of Vancouver, there isn’t enough snow on roads to plow. Accumulations are slightly heavier in some locations, such as north Clark County at higher elevations,” the department said in a press release.
Crews focused on major thoroughfares. Residential and side streets, which do not get treated, were slick, but essential routes serving police, fire and medical services remained open. Officials said property owners are responsible for keeping sidewalks free of snow and ice and passable. Residents and businesses were also encouraged to lend a helping hand to neighbors where needed.
Amid trucks spraying deicing solutions on the road, Waste Connections decided to cancel Tuesday garbage and recycling services within Vancouver and throughout the county. Tuesday collections will occur Wednesday, pushing the rest of the week’s services back a day. More information about pickup delays is expected to be posted on Waste Connections’ website at https://wcnorthwest.com.
Traffic, commute
Traffic maps displayed stop-and-go traffic by 7 a.m. Tuesday on Interstates 5 and 205; the backups were worse for people heading south. Conditions did not improve with the morning light. State Highway 14 in both directions wasn’t faring any better than the freeways, with slow traffic reportedly stretching well beyond the Camas-Washougal area.
Early Tuesday morning, reported crashes included a minor incident on Southeast 164th Avenue in Vancouver, another on southbound Interstate 205 south of Mill Plain Boulevard and a major incident on Northeast 18th Street causing a “bumper-to-bumper traffic jam” just east of the freeway.
At about 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, a pickup lost control and crashed into the shoulder of eastbound Highway 14 near Evergreen Boulevard and blocked the left lane. A crash on southbound I-205 near Padden Parkway and Exit 32 blocked the offramp.
Washington State Patrol troopers responded to 32 crashes between midnight and 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, with most happening between 3:30 and 10:30 a.m. No injuries were reported, Trooper Will Finn said in an email.
“No significant incidents, with the exception of southbound I-205 (near) Padden. A number of vehicles spun out, blocking the exit,” Finn said. He said there were also a number of vehicles abandoned on the roadside.
Vancouver police officers were dispatched to 10 reported crashes between midnight and 11:30 a.m. Tuesday. Eight crashes were noninjury and one was listed as an unknown injury, Vancouver Police Department spokeswoman Kim Kapp said in an email. The remaining response was for an incident initially thought to be a vehicle versus pedestrian, but it turned out the pedestrian slipped and fell on the ice.
“The calls run the gamut of primarily fender-benders, but there were two where the car left the roadway and hit something (a tree and a barrier in two cases),” Kapp said, adding that there were seven additional calls where the drivers were simply instructed to exchange information.
Clark County sheriff’s deputies responded to at least 30 crashes from midnight to 3 p.m. Tuesday, according to emergency dispatch logs.
“When I got on duty around 6 (a.m.), most deputies were at crash scenes,” Sgt. Brent Waddell said.
