The National Weather Service has issued a new winter weather advisory for tonight, warning that an inch or two of wet snow may fall in the metro area sometime overnight.
The snow is most likely to fall after 3 a.m. Wednesday, and will melt before noon. Eastern portions of Clark County may get more snow, as much as two or three inches.
Snow levels should rise Wednesday afternoon to above 2,500 feet in elevation, which would melt all of the snow in virtually all of Clark County’s inhabited areas. The lowest-lying areas of Vancouver are at less than 100 feet of elevation, and Hazel Dell and Salmon Creek are at 300 feet or lower.
Meanwhile, a wintry mix of snow and rain that passed through Clark County this morning could continue through this evening, according to forecasters.
A cold air mass over the region means precipitation could come in the form of snow or a rain/snow mix. Any accumulations are expected to be minor, with the heaviest bands of showers quickly dropping one or two inches of snow.
The hit-and-miss nature of the showers means many areas will see little if any accumulating snow for the rest of today.
It was 37 degrees at 10:53 a.m. at Pearson Field, near the Columbia River in Vancouver.
Green Mountain School was closed today, and Hockinson, La Center and Woodland schools will start two hours late, with buses on snow routes. Visit the Columbian’s school closure page for more details.
Problems were few this morning for commuters and school buses.
Metro area schools were not reporting any delays. Today is the last day before Christmas break in some districts, including Vancouver and Evergreen. Most other districts have already dismissed classes for the holiday.
Washington State Department of Transportation’s webcam network showed no problems on Clark County freeways, which were bare and wet.
Trooper Will Finn, local spokesman for the Washington State Patrol said state highways appeared to be clear and free of problems in Clark County. He said troopers reported a few issues in Cowlitz County.
Pyle, the weather service meteorologist, said Tuesday night may bring more of the same: rain and snow showers with light accumulation in higher elevations. He said it should be slightly warmer on Wednesday.
At higher elevations, such as North Clark County and the Hockinson Hills, the precipitation will be mostly snow. The National Weather Service says those areas above 500 feet in elevation could get up to two inches of wet snow.
