OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK — Most roads in Olympic National Park remained closed Sunday due to storm damage and snowfall over the weekend, but several areas were open again to the public.
By Sunday afternoon, the Mora, Hoh, Ozette and Kalaloch areas were reopened, said Barb Maynes, spokeswoman for the park.
Hurricane Ridge and Sol Duc roads remained closed Sunday due to snow.
Hurricane Ridge received 21 inches of snow at higher elevations, as measured at the nearby Snotel Waterhole weather station.
Additional snow is expected to accumulate.
On Sunday morning, the snow reached elevations lower than the Heart O’ the Hills entry station on Hurricane Ridge Road, as well as in the Sol Duc valley, Maynes said
Plowing to start
Unless the snow on Hurricane Ridge Road melts naturally, the road to Hurricane Ridge will reopen Nov. 25 when the crews working to clean up damage from the storm will transition to winter maintenance and begin plowing operations, she said.
Maynes said the Elwha Campground remained closed, with a thick layer of silt covering many sites and the road, and water remained on Olympic Hot Springs Road due to the Elwha swelling during the weekend storm.
Park employees in the Hoh Rain Forest area were clearing debris from culverts in preparation for the next storm, she said.
The National Weather Service issued a flood watch for the North Olympic Peninsula beginning 4 a.m. Tuesday, due to another large storm system that is expected to bring another round of heavy rain to the region.
The park will assess the condition of the roads and campgrounds and maintain contact with the National Weather Service to determine if the roads can be reopened today or if the coming storm would require continued closures, Maynes said.
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Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5070, or at arice@peninsuladailynews.com.
