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New year, new snow: County gets dusted this week
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CopyResidents in Mason County woke up Monday to a chaotic mix of freezing rain resulting in school delays and hectic commutes.
Snow flurries, occasionally increasing to near whiteout conditions Sunday, lay 1 inch thick on roadways before temperatures increased and slush slowed traffic.
In a 24-hour period, snow accumulation in Shelton reached seven-tenths of an inch, according to the National Weather Service.
In Mason County, Shelton and Pioneer school districts delayed the start of the day for two hours, while North Mason School District and Mary M. Knight operated on their regular schedules.
Olympic College Shelton also delayed the opening of campus by two hours Monday.
In Belfair and Shelton, business was quiet as many drivers and customers opted to stay indoors.
In the early morning hours, Washington State Department of Transportation plows removed the slush from the roads.
Despite the snow, Washington State Patrol Sgt. Russ Winger said there were no accidents caused by the weather in Mason County in the 24-hour period when roads were slick.
Even utilities seemed to fare well from the weather.
Joel Myer, Mason County PUD 3 public relations manager, said loss of power affected very few homes.
"We survived the weekend pretty well," he said. "I was a little bit concerned."
The winter weather did not last for long. By Monday evening the slush had subsided and temperatures rose.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, temperatures remained in the upper 30s and rain clouds blanketed the county.
The National Weather Service forecasts that temperatures should remain in the low 40s with partial cloud cover and scattered rain into the weekend.
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