Light snow that moved into the area early Thursday morning prompted nearly all Clark County school districts to close for the day.
The National Weather Service reported light snow began falling at about 3:45 a.m. at Pearson Field in Vancouver. Up to an inch of snow was expected at higher elevations, with only a dusting at lower elevations.
Despite the relatively scant snowfall, driving conditions were treacherous, with temperatures just below freezing and slippery conditions reported throughout the area.
All school districts except Vancouver Public Schools closed for the day. Vancouver opted for a two-hour late start, as did Washington State University Vancouver. You can get the latest information about school closures, updated every five minutes, at columbian.com/school-closures/.
The slippery conditions caused slide-offs and crashes throughout the county, with the biggest problems reported north of Vancouver. Northbound Interstate 5 was closed for a time near La Center due to a crash near the East Fork Lewis River bridge.
C-Tran had to modify several of its bus routes due to road conditions and use a shorter bus to serve The Vine routes.
Snow showers tapered off shortly after 8 a.m. at Pearson Field as the weather system moved south out of the area.
Cold and frosty conditions were forecast overnight Thursday, with lows in the mid-20s Friday morning and in the upper 20s early Saturday. Then, warmer and wetter weather will move into the region, with a weak atmospheric river bringing rain starting Saturday night and lasting well into next week.
Forecasters said it’s unlikely but possible that the area could see a return of wintry conditions this weekend as moisture begins moving into the region.
High temperatures will be in the low to mid-50s through Wednesday, with lows from the upper 30s warming to the mid-40s.
