The first snowflakes of the season fell Tuesday morning on some parts of Western Washington, snarling commutes but thrilling those who spent the day playing in the powder. And it might not be over yet.
Light accumulations of snow are expected Wednesday morning, but the new snow isn’t expected to stick around long.
“It looks like it could start out as snow in the morning hours and then change over to rain pretty quick,” said Gary Schneider, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Seattle.
Tacoma and Seattle saw less than an inch of snow Tuesday, but areas such as Eatonville and Enumclaw reported 2 to 4 inches, the Weather Service reported.
The Cascades received 2 to 4 feet in the last two days, with several more inches falling Tuesday.
Crystal Mountain Ski Resort, which closed its upper mountain Monday due to high winds, said people flocked to the slopes Tuesday. The resort said 15 inches fell through Tuesday morning, drawing lots of skiers and riders. The resort does not give out exact numbers of lift tickets sold, but spokeswoman Tiana Enger said it was in the “thousands” and better than a typical Tuesday.
An additional 1 to 3 feet of snow is likely to fall in the Cascades through Thursday morning, which could make driving difficult over the passes.
Tuesday’s snow made driving difficult in the lowlands.
A bus carrying 34 students to an elementary school in Kent crashed on icy roads, the Kent Fire Department reported. None of the kids was injured.
By 11:30 a.m., state troopers had responded to 41 collisions in Pierce and Thurston counties, State Patrol spokesman Guy Gill said. Troopers investigated six collisions in the same time frame last Tuesday.
Although the snow will taper off, rain appears to be here to stay. The forecast calls for showers through at least Saturday. Wednesday’s high is expected to hit 41.
Stacia Glenn: 253-597-8653
stacia.glenn@thenewstribune.com
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