THE FIRST SNOW of the season hit the North Olympic Peninsula lowlands.
Reports from snow spotters ranged from a trace to several inches of white stuff Saturday morning after snow fell overnight.
The National Weather Service said weak high pressure aloft and offshore flow will keep the weather dry — and cool — or the next few days before clouds return midweek.
Temperatures are expected to rise above freezing along the Peninsula by today.
A snow spotter west of Port Angeles reported7 inches of snow Saturday morning, while areas along the Strait of Juan de Fuca received a trace to an inch, the National Weather Service said.
A spotter near Sequim reported 3.6 inches of snow, according to reports disseminated by the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network.
Unofficially, the Port Townsend area had about2 inches of snow, Chimacum had 3 inches and Port Ludlow had 1 inch.
A dusting of snow was reported near Forks.
Ice leads to wrecks
Icy road conditions led to several minor wrecks on U.S. Highway 101 and state Highway 104.
The State Patrol said two people were injured at 10:20 a.m. Saturday when a Suzuki Grand Vitara that was headed eastbound on state Highway 104 crossed the centerline and went into the westbound ditch near the 101 interchange.
Two passengers, Gloria J. Brown, 72, of Sequim and Veronica L. Szikszoy, 53, of Pasadena, Calif., were transported to Jefferson Healthcare in Port Townsend.
Brown was not admitted, and Szikszoy was treated and discharged, a hospital spokeswoman said.
The driver, Douglas R. Marsh, 70, of Sequim, was not injured. The State Patrol said it cited him for traveling too fast for conditions.
A downed tree temporarily blocked U.S. 101 near Quilcene on Saturday morning.
The state Department of Transportation reported that between 2 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Saturday, blocked lanes and adverse weather conditions were causing traffic backups and delays on Highway 101 in both directions from Baker Street to Corriea Road.
Ridge Road open
Hurricane Ridge Road was open Saturday and is scheduled to be open today.
Hurricane Ridge had 5 inches of snow at noon Saturday, the Northwest Avalanche Center said.
All vehicles traveling above the Heart o’ the Hills campground on the road are required to carry chains.
“The road does have several inches of fresh snow, so please drive carefully for snowy conditions,” an Olympic National Park official said on the park’s road and weather hotline, 360-565-3131.
Seattle received a dusting of snow with 1 to 3 inches farther north.
Winds caused trees and branches to take out some power lines across Western Washington, Puget Sound Energy officials said
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5072, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
