More snow in E. Wash., flood watch in the west

A rare white Christmas in Western Washington gave way to warmer temperatures, disappearing snow and more roof problems as the remnants of the past week's winter storm melted away Friday.

A frozen body was found in a mobile home near Ashford and part of a seniors complex in Tumwater was evacuated because of a sagging roof.

In Eastern Washington, more snow was forecast to pile on top of the record amount already on the ground.

A new system moving into the state will bring up to 3 feet of fresh snow to the Cascade and Olympic mountains, said the National Weather Service, which posted a winter storm warning for the mountain ranges, and warned of avalanches in backcountry areas.

A flood watch was posted for most lowland areas of Western Washington. Minor urban flooding, caused by drains and creeks overwhelmed by melting snow, could be a problem in the Seattle area, said Johnny Burg, weather service meteorologist for the Seattle area.

Late Friday, a day after a 2,500-square-foot section of roof collapsed at Capital High School in Olympia, 65 residents were evacuated from a wing of the Olympics West Retirement Inn in neighboring Tumwater because of a roof sagging beneath the weight of snow and water.

All were taken to a dining area in a safe, unaffected part of the building, and maintenance personnel were advised to shovel snow off the roof after a municipal building official checked the situation, Tumwater Fire Lt. Dale Britton said.

Authorities were summoned after a resident on the second floor had trouble opening a door and saw part of the floor was sagging.

In Ashford, just west of the main entrance to Mount Rainier National Park, sledders found 50-year-old David A. Thomson dead in a sleeping bag in his mobile home on Christmas Day, Pierce County sheriff's Detective Ed Troyer said.

An autopsy is planned, but Troyer said the death appeared to be either from medical causes, cold weather or a combination of the two. He adds that Thomson was known to have health problems and might have been dead for as long two weeks.

In Spokane, snowfall records for December have been shattered. As of Christmas Day, 46.2 inches of snow had fallen in the Spokane area, breaking the record of 42.7 inches set in 1996 for December. Records have been kept since 1891, said John Livingston of the weather service.

"And we have more snow coming," Livingston said.

Another 4 inches could fall before some rain arrives Saturday afternoon, the weather service says. Rain, snow and windy weather won't do much to brighten the rest of Spokane's weekend, before lower temperatures and still more snow arrive Sunday night.

Less than 1 inch of snow was forecast to fall Friday on the lowlands and foothills of Western Washington, but warmer overnight temperatures should wash it away, Burg said.

Burg said levels of Western Washington rivers should rise, but not up to flooding levels, except for the Skokomish River, outside of Shelton, which may flood.

On Wednesday, Gov. Chris Gregoire declared a state of emergency after the storm that pummeled much of the state last weekend. The move frees up resources, such as the National Guard, to respond if necessary.

"A number of counties and cities are struggling to meet the problems posed by this month's onslaught of snow and winter weather. Snowfall has reached record or near-record level in 30 of the state's 39 counties," Gregoire said in the statement.

Local states of emergency also have declared in King, Pierce, Snohomish, and Thurston counties and a number of municipalities.

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