Deep cold, snow settle over Western Washington
Published 10:48 pm Sunday, December 14, 2008
EVERETT — It may have been the coldest weather in Washington state in 18 years, but to Deven Hulsoor, 10, it was what he wanted most: a snow day.
While Stevens Pass Ski Area is currently closed and waiting for more snow before it starts its season, Hulsoor and his brother, Kodiak Hulsoor, found the steep and icy Kromer Avenue as inviting as any Northwest ski resort.
“Whoa, did you see that?” Deven said. Sliding past him was friend Brandon Torgersrud, 13. “He totally got air.”
Seven children had claimed the avenue as their own, going so far as to place a lone safety cone at the foot of the hill to ward away drivers — and adults.
Adults, who seem angrier than usual, have stopped their cars to yell at them, Brandon said.
“Really grumpy,” he said. “The snow is awesome — I don’t know why they are so mad.”
Many Snohomish County residents are upset, and with good reason. Driving conditions have reduced commuting to a frustrating tableau of red lights.
From 7 p.m. Saturday to Sunday evening, from King County to Canada, there were 110 collisions on state highways — 50 of which occurred in Snohomish County, said trooper Keith Leary of the Washington State Patrol.
Of those 50 collisions, 27 were accidents with more than $750 in damage. There were 12 collisions that resulted in an injury, and three collisions were a result of suspected drunken drivers.
“We hope it gets better before it gets worse, but Tuesday and Wednesday night we’re looking at more snow,” Leary said.
The State Patrol is trying to educate people to take their time and anticipate areas that can be icy and dangerous. Today’s early-morning drivers should take special care to make sure they are driving safely during their commute. Highway conditions today through Wednesday are expected to improve, though that doesn’t mean drivers should be any less careful.
“The roads should dry up before it snows and we’re hoping that people have had their first taste of the experience and are taking the necessary actions to stay out of accidents,” Leary said. “It could be worse.”
Travelers Brandon and Lori Simons opted for the path of least resistance and pulled over to let their two children, Chris, 7, and Tilly, 10, get out and play in the snow instead of sit in traffic.
The couple watched serenely as their children picked up the snow and threw it into the air, yelling “its snowing” at the top of their lungs.
“We’re from Sacramento. This is Chris’ first look at a real winter,” Brandon Simons said. “He’s heard of snow and seen it on the TV, but when we started seeing it fall yesterday we just had to pull over and let them get out and play.”
Snow fell throughout Saturday and sporadically Sunday morning, letting up in the afternoon across Snohomish County. The cold is expected to continue throughout the week, with more snow on the horizon, according to the National Weather Service in Seattle.
“We are expecting several days of weather below freezing, with highs in Everett and Snohomish County around the mid-20s with nights somewhere in the teens,” said meteorologist Doug McDonnal.
Today may prove to be especially cold because of a combination of low temperatures and winds that will produce what McDonnal called “significant wind chill.”
And yes, that means more snow this week. Another system should move through Western Washington on Tuesday and Wednesday, which is expected to bring about 3 to 4 inches of snow.
What does that mean for schools? According to SchoolReport.org, some are predicting late starts today, but there have been no cancellations. Lake Stevens, Granite Falls, Monroe, Snohomish and Sultan school districts are all reporting that they’ll be running two hours late.
That might be bad news to some, but to 13-year-old Brandon Torgersrud, that’s welcome news. He’s hoping for another snow day and will be crossing his fingers.
“It’s real fun, we’ll take it while it lasts,” he said.
Reporter Justin Arnold: 425-339-3432 or jarnold@heraldnet.com.
