Forecast icy rain began falling in earnest on an already snowbound Clark County on Tuesday afternoon, leading to slick conditions and multiple, though relatively minor, vehicle crashes as the storm began to settle over the area.
Freezing rain fell on parts of Vancouver and Southwest Washington along the Columbia River in the afternoon and early evening. The National Weather Service in Portland had reports of a quarter-inch of ice accumulation in Camas Tuesday afternoon and a quarter-inch at Pearson Field as of 5:30 p.m.
Meteorologists said the Vancouver metro area could get a quarter- to half-inch of ice accumulation overnight, with more ice expected east past Interstate 205 and into the Columbia River Gorge.
“It’s slick and icy out there, primarily east of the airport, east of 205,” weather service meteorologist Will Ahue said.
Otherwise, most of Southwest Washington and the Vancouver metro area were hit with heavy rain. As of 7 p.m. Tuesday, Pearson Field saw about four-tenths of an inch of rainfall.
As forecast, the freezing rain largely tapered off Tuesday night, but Ahue said the Columbia River Gorge and areas as far west of it as Camas may see some freezing rain this morning.
Overnight heavy rain is expected to last through Wednesday morning, he said. “So that’s definitely going to create some slushy roads out there for the morning commute.”
The weather service extended its ice storm warning for the region from 10 p.m. Tuesday to 5 a.m. Wednesday, with the greatest ice accumulations in the eastern part of the metro area. Ice totals of 1 inch were considered likely overnight in Washougal, the warning said.
Vancouver Public Schools announced a two-hour late start for Wednesday morning. It was the only Clark County district to announce its plans as of 8 p.m. Tuesday. Updated school closure information is available at columbian.com/school-closures/.
Even with all the rain and ice, the expected Tuesday-morning dose of ice the weather service predicted never really materialized.
State Highway 14 was alternately closed to heavy vehicle traffic and re-opened with chain requirements a couple of times throughout the day. The Oregon Department of Transportation closed Interstate 84 between Troutdale and Hood River, as well.
Washington State Patrol Trooper Will Finn said late Tuesday afternoon that the county’s state highways were relatively calm, considering the weather. A minor injury, multi-vehicle fender-bender on the Interstate 205 bridge gnarled traffic for a time, but didn’t appear to be weather-related. Troopers also responded to a road-rage incident that ended with an assault on Fargher Lake Highway.
“For the most part, for the day, we really haven’t had any issues,” Finn said.
County Public Works Department crews saw frozen roadways toward the Washougal area and points east, spokesman Jeff Mize said Tuesday evening. Public works’ customer service department hadn’t fielded many calls for service that day either, he said.
“They have more calls about people inquiring about sandbags and sand than they have about freezing rain, which is another strong indicator that things are going pretty well,” he said.
Conditions in general were mostly fair countywide, he said, but road crews would be prepared to respond if the night’s drop in temperatures warranted it.
Flood risks ahead
Ahue said while the freezing rain may let up, people should still at least be aware of possible flooding as rainfall continues and snow melts.
It was too early Tuesday night to say which river systems faced the greatest flood risks, but he said urban flooding in roadways may be a problem throughout the Vancouver-Portland metro area.
“Everyone’s storm drains are still pretty clogged, and that’s just going to help exacerbate the problem,” Ahue said.
The Vancouver Public Works Department has two self-serve sandbag sites for residents concerned about possible flooding. Sand and sandbags will be available in front of the fence and near the sign at the old Golden Skate building, 4915 E. Fourth Plain Blvd., and at the public works site at 912 N.E. 192nd Ave.
Clark County Public Works will also offer sand and sandbags, at its sites at 4700 N.E. 78th St. and 11608 N.E. 149th St.
Those filling sandbags are asked to bring their own shovels.
