After the coldest night of the year Tuesday, temperatures should creep up to about 40 degrees today in the Portland-Vancouver area. Still, more snow might be on the way.
Another weather system, similar to the system that brought a skiff of snow to the area Monday night and early Tuesday, should move in by tonight. Rain and snow, or a light accumulation of snow alone, might fall between Friday morning and late Saturday night, according to the National Weather Service in Portland.
Friday morning could bring anywhere from a dusting up to an inch of snow from the Portland metro area to Eugene, Ore., according to the weather service.
“We’d just encourage people to pay attention to the forecast and adjust their travel plans as needed,” meteorologist Colby Neuman said.
Wednesday’s highs reached into the upper 30s, thanks to abundant sunshine, following nighttime temperatures in the low to mid-20s.
Higher elevations likely experienced slightly colder temperatures. A weather station in the northern part of the county recorded a low of 14 degrees, Neuman said.
Clark County Fire District 10 Assistant Chief Gordon Brooks said the thermometer at the fire station in Amboy read 17 degrees overnight. Roads were icy on Wednesday morning due to moisture left over from Tuesday’s snowfall.
“Some of the roads are clear, but we have black ice in a significant number of places,” Brooks said. “They’re the spots that are shaded and didn’t dry out. The roads have been treated with deicer, though.”
Battle Ground, Camas, Hockinson and the Washougal school districts chose to start the school day two hours late Wednesday due to the conditions. Some of their buses were put on snow routes. Three private schools also opened late, as did Southwest Washington Child Care Consortium centers in Battle Ground; morning care at Washougal centers was canceled.
Vancouver Public Works said major city streets were in good condition, and its crews used the window of dry weather to treat priority routes with deicer.
Brooks said he is expecting and preparing for snowfall later this week. If the weather pattern sticks, snow in portions of the fire district is a given, he said.
Despite the treacherous conditions in Brooks’ coverage area, his firefighters had not responded to any vehicle crashes Tuesday night or Wednesday morning. There were medical calls to treat people slipping on the ice, he said.
“People in the area who have to go out, use caution,” Brooks said.
In the Battle Ground and Hockinson areas, Clark County Fire District 3 Battalion Chief Dave O’Brien said some roads in the district were icy while others were clear. The fire district also had not responded to any crashes Wednesday morning.
