Snow falls in Frederickson

Snow fell on Monday afternoon in the Frederickson area and continued overnight, giving this winter season somewhat of an official kickoff.


Snow on a local street in Frederickson

On Sunday, the threat of high winds and heavy precipitation caused the Pierce County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to increase staffing preparedness levels to Level 2 (basic staffing), but just before 9 a.m. on Monday morning with only minimal damage reported, sporadic power outages and several roads closed in the County, the EOC returned to Level 1 operations as the high winds started to die down.  Level 1 means the duty officer will continue to monitor the situation.

Icy roads greeted drivers during the evening commute, but few major issues were found as drivers smartly slowed down and were cautious.  Emergency management officials had snow plows and salt trucks on the major thoroughfares early.

Many Frederickson residents awoke to a winter wonderland on Tuesday and children welcomed the news that more than a dozen schools would either be closed or on a two-hour delay.  Bethel School District reported that there would be no half-day kindergarten programs, no preschool, ECEAP, or Head Start.  All were cancelled, including all late start and early release programs.  There would also be no out-of-district transportation.  Morning classes at the Pierce County Skills Center were also canceled and there would be no Challenge program and no transportation for Challenger Secondary School. 

Around 9:15 a.m on Tuesday., Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) reported that winter driving conditions had forced the closure of the ramp from southbound I-5 to I-705, or exit 133, in Tacoma.  The ramp from northbound SR 7 Extension to northbound I-705 is also closed after two school buses that were involved in a collision at the intersection.  Emergency responders were on the scene to help guide traffic. 

The early morning snow and slush led to dozens of accidents around western Washington.  The driver of a van had trouble on the new flyover ramp from State Route 18 to I-5 in Federal Way. The van ended up sideways on the ramp, but avoided colliding with other vehicles.  The Washington State Patrol reported over two dozen collisions in Pierce and Thurston counties alone.  A Kennewick man was killed in a collision with a truck in snow and slush on Interstate 90 Monday night eight miles east of Cle Elum.  The Washington State Patrol says 38-year-old Cristoval Martinez lost control of his car and rear-ended a semi-truck. 

Van spins out on SR 18, near I-5.

Areas of Snohomish County, east King County and south of Puget Sound were hardest hit by the overnight snow.  Snow flurries continued to fall on Tuesday morning, leading to growing concerns of more icy roads, increased tree damage, and possible power outages.  Pierce Transit began using snow routes for their buses as well, cautioning riders that “service on all routes may be running much slower than usual.”
  

King 5 weather forecaster, Keisha Burns, says snow showers will continue through Monday afternoon, with a few spots seeing possible light accumulations this morning, but widespread accumulations are not expected.  In fact, showers will be decreasing later today as the upper level trough responsible for the inclement weather tracks off to the east.  Burns says to expect high temperatures to struggle into the upper 30's.  Meanwhile, wind will be on the increase tonight with a threat of snow showers.  Low temperatures will fall into the 30s.

Bus near the University of Washington-Tacoma.

Burns states further that as a warm front approaches on Wednesday, the presence of cold air near the ground could cause precipitation to begin as snow or a mix of snow and rain.  Warm air moves in pretty quickly, therefore most areas should not see much if any accumulation.  The exception is the Hood Canal area, where a few inches could fall before snow changes to rain later in the morning.  High temperatures will be in the upper 30's to near 40.  From Thursday onward, more rain is possible, but the snow levels will retreat upward.  Expect high temperatures mostly in the low 40's.