The National Weather Service has issued a special weather statement for light freezing rain in Clark County, expected to start Friday night and last through at least Saturday morning. Dangerous conditions may persist through the entire weekend.
The freezing rain was predicted to soak the area from the Columbia Gorge to northern Clark County, according to the weather service. All of the county’s communities are being warned about the rain, from Vancouver to Yacolt and Amboy.
Cold air trapped east of the Cascade Mountains was forecast to remain there through Friday night. Then a Pacific weather front should spread light precipitation across Southwest Washington and Northwest Oregon.
“The timing of this system appears right so that temperatures will likely remain near or below freezing in the Hood River Valley and central Columbia Gorge tonight through Saturday morning. Freezing rain is looking increasingly likely in these areas,” the weather service said Friday.
In northern Clark County, there may be just a short period of freezing rain during the onset of precipitation. Forecasters said they would monitor temperatures closely Friday night, but the likelihood of freezing rain farther north is much lower.
The overall potential for icy conditions doesn’t stop mid-weekend.
A more substantial weather system is likely to spread more precipitation across the region late Friday into Sunday. Forecasters warned that this will bring the threat for additional freezing rain to the Columbia Gorge.
There was a 30 percent chance of rain Friday, mainly before 10 a.m. Cloud coverage is forecasted to remain overhead, and the mercury will top out at 46 degrees. The chance of rain increases to 50 percent on Sunday.
The wet and cold weather is expected to stick around until at least Wednesday.
The Washington State Department of Transportation has tips for people to prepare for winter driving. With the season’s official first day about two weeks away, the cooler temperatures and frosty conditions are here to stay for some time.
Get on the road a bit earlier. Once you get going, drive appropriately for the conditions — slower speeds and slower acceleration. Do not use cruise control.
“Leave extra room between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you. And remember, the larger the vehicle, the longer the stopping distance,” WSDOT warns.
A teenage driver was killed in a single-vehicle crash Monday morning on an icy rural road west of Yacolt. The driver lost control of his Ram pickup on Northeast Kelly Road, about a quarter-mile from Gabriel Road.
Fire District 10 Chief Sam Arola said there was a significant amount of black ice on the roads in the area at that time.
What’s inside your vehicle is just as important as cautious commuting. Officials advise people to bring along a cache of supplies: first aid kit, cellphone charger, water and snacks, warm clothing, jumper cables, tire chains, flares and an ice scraper and/or a snow brush.
