Power out, no school for some as Northwest storms continue

SEATTLE — As hundreds continue to wait for their power to be restored after storms that brought feet of heavy snow to Western Washington, thousands in southern Oregon lost power in heavy snow Thursday night.

Puget Sound Energy estimates that power to hundreds in the mountain towns of Gold Bar and Skykomish could finally be back Friday. Schools in the area remained closed. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and others sent supplies to the area by convoy while portions of U.S. Highway 2 remained shut down due to falling trees and power lines.

In northwestern Washington, Bellingham schools remained closed Friday because of snow, ice and below freezing temperatures.

In Southern Oregon, over 18,000 customers lost power in heavy snow Thursday evening. As of Friday morning, more than 10,600 customers were in the dark in the Grants Pass and Cave Junction area.

Winter storms are still in the forecast for parts of the Northwest. The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for the central Columbia River Gorge from Friday afternoon into Saturday for snow and freezing rain.

A winter storm warning goes into effect for the south Washington Cascades Friday afternoon with a foot or more of snow expected, according to the National Weather Service. A gale warning for the Washington coast has also been issued.

In southeastern Idaho a winter weather advisory is in effect until Friday night for blowing and drifting snow. The weather and multiple crashes caused the Idaho Transportation Department to shut several roads Friday including a 65-mile (105-kilometer) stretch of Interstate 84 from the Utah border to the junction of Interstate 86.