The snow came in batches Wednesday night, hitting hardest between Arlington and Burlington.
On Thursday, drivers should be prepared for snow and ice on the roads, transportation officials said. Those who can stay off the roads should.
In the Everett area, conditions could change fast,
state Department of Transportation spokeswoman Bronlea Mishler said. The roads were pretreated, but drivers should expect patches of ice through Thursday.
Reports of spinouts and fender-benders began trickling in by 6 p.m. Wednesday, including several cars that slid into ditches.
Most of the problems in Snohomish County were north of Everett. Conditions were especially miserable in the Stanwood area, Mishler said. If folks in north county can stay home from work Thursday, they should.
“It’s hideous out there,” she said.
The Everett area is expected to get up to five inches between Wednesday night and Thursday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service in Seattle. Up to two more inches could fall through Thursday.
South Snohomish County could see similar snowfall and may get breezy Thursday.
Temperatures could drop Thursday night, with temperatures of about 8 to 15 predicted in the Arlington area. Friday and Saturday are looking cold and sunny, with more snow possible for Saturday night.
Transportation workers, police and fire crews around the county were at work Wednesday night to keep the roads clear.
Drivers need to be ready for winter delays, said trooper Keith Leary with the Washington State Patrol. Get a full tank of gas and allow for extra travel time. Drive at lower speeds and allow for more following distances.
Too many drivers follow other vehicles too closely and then slam the brakes, causing them to spin out or slide off the road, Leary said.
If drivers get into trouble, they should call 911. If you leave your car on the freeway without warning, it could be towed away at your expense.
More than half the school districts in Snohomish County were closed Wednesday. As of press time, closures were planned Thursday for the Coupeville, Oak Harbor and Stanwood school districts. Edmonds Community College was planning a late start.
Earlier Wednesday, the winter snowstorm left its calling cards in Darrington, Oak Harbor and Stanwood.
Darrington has been slammed by snow flurries since Tuesday.
More than a foot of snow had fallen on Darrington by Wednesday afternoon, town deputy clerk Michelle Vincent said.
“It’s like a winter wonderland,” she said.
Maintenance workers in the town at the Cascade foothills were plowing roads by 4 a.m. Vincent started making chili in the morning in case her home lost power. The biggest concerns were trees and snow-laden branches falling over power lines.
There were a few small, scattered outages around Darrington, the Snohomish County PUD reported.
In Oak Harbor, Cindy Fahrenkrug spent part of Wednesday shoveling the 9 inches of snow that fell on her driveway overnight. With her, bundled up, was her 7-month-old son, Varick, who made sport of trying to catch falling snowflakes in his mouth.
Fahrenkrug, 35, who has lived in Oak Harbor off and on since she was 6, estimated it had been more than two decades since she could remember so much snow falling so fast in her hometown.
“It really started pouring in the wee hours,” she said.
She hopes it melts soon.
“I’m kind of ready for spring,” she said.
Less than a week before spring practices are set to begin, Oak Harbor High School girls tennis coach Horace Mells woke up to 8 inches of snow Wednesday.
“We got a lot of snow, but I think it’s going to be all right by Monday,” he said.
Snohomish County had 35 trucks on the road removing snow Wednesday, county spokesman Christopher Schwarzen said. The county planned to plow around the clock and had plenty of sand and de-icer on hand.
The Department of Transportation at times had 19 plows working between Arlington and Burlington, Mishler said.
Crews with the North County Regional Fire Authority saw a lot of weather-related wrecks and were bracing for more, battalion chief Christian Davis said.
Their rigs were outfitted with studded tires and had chains ready to go, and extra crews were on standby, he said.
Several accidents were reported in north county Wednesday night. Parts of I-5 were at a standstill due to snowfall in Skagit County, but east and south Snohomish County crews saw less action than expected.
The South Snohomish County Emergency Shelter Network plans to provide overnight shelter to those in need through Friday because of anticipated overnight freezing temperatures.
Evening and morning meals will be provided. Those in need of shelter should meet at Lynnwood City Hall, 19100 44th Ave. W., no later than 7 each night for pick-up.
Eric Stevick: 425-339-3446, stevick@heraldnet.com
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