Snow and wind in Clark County closed schools, downed power lines and caused crashes all over the county.
A winter storm warning remains in effect in Clark County and much of the Portland area through 10 a.m. Friday, so the morning commute could see more of the same.
By late morning, streets across Vancouver and much of Clark County were white with snow. Conditions were slick with vehicles fishtailing at intersections and pedestrians moving slowly on sidewalks.
Washington State Patrol Trooper Will Finn warned there were multiple collisions in Clark County on Interstate 205 between Burton Road and Mill Plain Boulevard in both directions Thursday.
“We are also responding to collisions in the Ridgefield area along Interstate 5,” he said in an email. “Motorists traveling north on Interstate 5 towards Woodland/Cowlitz County will begin to see weather relief as you approach La Center.”
Finn advised people to stay home if possible, to drive slowly and plan extra time if they needed to go out.
According to the latest forecast, Clark County can expect up to 1-3 inches of snow and sleet with up to tenths of an inch of ice. By noon Thursday, less than an inch of snow had fallen.
Temperatures remained below freezing for most of the day with a high of 32 expected and a low of 31 overnight with a chance of more wintry precipitation. Friday’s high is expected to be 40 with a chance of snow in the morning. Weekend temperatures are expected to stay above freezing with a chance of rain.
Wind and ice accumulation on power lines and tree limbs have caused power outages around the county. As of early afternoon Thursday, Clark Public Utilities was reporting about 2,300 households without power with almost 19,000 recently restored.
Clark Public Utilities spokesman Dameon Pesanti said crews were out working to restore power as early as 3 a.m. Thursday.
“Servicemen are staffed around the clock and they take care of individual outages and smaller damage, but in those situations where a pole has snapped or a tree is down, they’ll report it back and get the linemen out with a crane,” Pesanti said.
To report an outage, call 360-992-8000 or visit www.clarkpublicutilities.com/outages-safety.
Conditions were bad enough that C-Tran suspended some routes and services on Thursday, including Route 48 to Ridgefield and The Current. Other buses were on snow routes and will likely be on snow routes again Friday, said Eric Florip, manager of communications and marketing for C-Tran. Buses with flat routes will be driving more slowly and might be running late.
“Buses with chains are limited to 25 miles an hour,” Florip said. “If you’re out traveling, make sure you’re dressed for conditions and be able to stay warm, given that some buses will be delayed.”
For up-to-date details on all routes, check www.c-tran.com.
School districts across Clark County closed schools and canceled after-school activities Thursday. WSU Vancouver and Clark College initially had delayed openings but eventually canceled classes.
The Council for the Homeless has opened overnight emergency shelters and daytime warming centers. For a complete list and other resources, download the council’s severe weather alert information.
The winter storm warning remains in effect until 10 a.m. Friday.
The western part of the Columbia River Gorge remains under a extreme cold warning through noon today, with a cold weather warning in effect through noon Friday. Dangerous wind chill is expected, raising the risk of frostbite and hypothermia.
Other closures in Clark County:
