Snow finally arrives in VancouverFree

With about an inch of snow on the ground in Clark County on Tuesday morning, kids got busy building snowmen, throwing snowballs and racing down hills on sleds.

Although 10-year-old Ryder Sorensen had already built several impressive snowmen, some with the help of his dad, he said his favorite thing to do in the snow is go sledding.

After spending hours in the snow, he was looking forward to heading inside to warm up and get a cup of his favorite winter drink — hot cocoa. Then, he said, he might head out into the powder once again.

About a dozen kids rolled massive snowballs and swung from snow-draped trees in a park in Felida’s Ashley Heights neighborhood to cap off an early-season snow system that first rolled into Clark County on Saturday.

Now, forecasters warn the cold temperatures are here to stay. According to the National Weather Service, overnight low temperatures will be in the 20s throughout the week at lower elevations or in the teens in higher areas, such as outside of Battle Ground.

Four-year-old Riley Bugg got her first taste of sledding Tuesday as she lugged a plastic sled up and down the snowy hill at the park. Her dad, Jonathan Bugg, said they’d just moved to Felida from Colorado, so he was excited to see some familiar snow.

Once Riley tired herself out, Bugg said they’d likely put on some movies and curl up inside for the rest of the day.

As Krista Frost watched her daughters Elsie, 9, and Eva, 8, pack some hefty snowballs, she also thought about her students at Burton Elementary in east Vancouver who will come back from winter break with their own snow day stories. She was excited they got the snow that several of her students said they’d hoped for before heading home for the break.

Frost met some other neighbors at the park Tuesday, including Ryder’s mom, Michelle Sorensen. Frost said the weather is a good opportunity for her and her kids to make new friends in the area. Other kids pitched in to help Elsie and Eva carry their chunky snowball up the hill.

The moms said they were hoping for more snow, but they’re still glad there was enough to break out the sleds.

Meteorologists predict Wednesday will be the coldest day of the week, before heating up into the mid- to upper 30s in time for New Year’s. Some slight snow could return Thursday night, but it’s not likely to amount to any significant accumulation before mixing with rain in the afternoon, according to meteorologist Rebecca Muessle. However, she said there could be isolated pockets of freezing rain Thursday morning.

New Year’s Eve is expected to be a cold one, with a high on Friday of 34 degrees. Muessle said it should be mostly dry Friday before some slight showers begin in time for the New Year’s ball to drop around midnight. The Friday night low is forecasted to be 23 degrees.

Some weak precipitation could continue Saturday morning, but Muessle said it’s likely to be mostly rain. Saturday is also predicted to be a bit warmer with the high in the mid- to upper 30s.