Heavy snow fell over Snohomish County on Sunday, creating picture-postcard scenes and sloppy conditions.
Trees and power lines fell and roadways turned into slick, slushy messes.
More than 25,000 Snohomish County PUD customers were without power Sunday night, and that number was expected to rise.
Freezing levels sank as low as sea level, and the rare November snow is likely to stick around for a few days, the National Weather Service said.
A heavy snow warning remained in effect through 4 this morning as snow continued to pile up.
Near-freezing temperatures are forecast through Wednesday, and another 1 to 4 inches of snow were expected to fall Sunday night and this morning, forecasters predicted.
Snow was on the ground from Edmonds to Arlington and Stevens Pass to the Everett waterfront.
As much as 6 inches of snow accumulated on north Camano Island. About 2 inches fell in Granite Falls. At the Everett Events Center, where fans came to see a Barenaked Ladies concert, there were about 3 inches on the ground.
It was enough snow to build a snowman and more than enough cause widespread power outages.
As of Sunday evening, power was out for thousands of customers in areas across the county and on Camano Island, said Mike Thorne, a spokesman for the PUD.
All available crews had been called out to help restore power, he said.
“We’re going to get everybody we can,” he said.
Heavy snow was toppling trees and snapping off branches, causing the outages, he said.
Downed power lines are extremely dangerous and people should stay clear of them, he said.
Snow also was causing slick, dangerous conditions on area roads.
State and local crews were clearing roads and applying sand as needed.
“The rate of accumulation is the greatest we’ve seen in at least five years, maybe more,” said Roy Scalf, operations manager for the Snohomish County Roads Department.
About 12 Snohomish County trucks were working overnight and 18 more were expected to start work before the morning commute.
More than 22 Washington Department of Transportation trucks also were working in the county, spokeswoman Lauren Chudecke said.
Snow was falling on Stevens Pass, but traffic Sunday was moving through without problems, she said.
People heading over the pass may need traction tires or chains if conditions worsen, she said.
The Washington State Patrol asked people to use caution on the roadways as they leave for work today.
“Plan ahead, leave extra time and drive at a safe speed,” Trooper Keith Leary said.
Drivers should keep their headlights on, make sure snow is cleared off windows, keep a safe distance between vehicles and remember that four-wheel drive doesn’t mean they can drive any faster, he said.
No serious accidents had been reported by Sunday evening, but plenty of cars were spinning out, Leary said.
School today was canceled for the Stanwood-Camano Island School District, and Head Start programs at Snohomish High School were called off.
Many school districts make closure decisions in the early-morning hours, and people should check school Web sites before packing children off for the day.
Temperatures aren’t expected to return to normal until later in the week, said Dennis d’Amico, a weather service meteorologist.
That means the snow isn’t going anywhere fast.
“Don’t expect it to melt away overnight,” he said.
Snow showers will continue today, and a good freeze is likely tonight, d’Amico said.
Reporter Jackson Holtz: 425-339-3437 or jholtz@ heraldnet.com.
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