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Month's snow breaks record

Recent snowfall beats 10-inch record from December 1955

By Christian Hill | The Olympian • Published December 23, 2008

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Mother Nature gave area residents a reprieve from the snowfall Monday, but a hard freeze overnight was expected to make for another treacherous commute this morning, and yet more snow is in the forecast.

This month already is thought to be the snowiest December on record in the Olympia area, according to the National Weather Service in Seattle. Between 1 and 2 feet of snow has fallen since Wednesday, depending on where you live in Thurston County.

The heavy snowfall has overwhelmed the county and city crews trying to keep roads clear, though rising temperatures Monday afternoon offered some help. Still, many low-traffic roads provided a slick, bumpy ride or continued to be impassable.

Many workplaces were shut down Monday, but more and more people ventured out as the day progressed, trying to get holiday errands done.

Snow-clearing equipment, snow tires and chains were scarce in area stores. But many residents used the break to dig out from the snowfall, shoveling off sidewalks and driveways.

"I haven't seen it like this since I was 5. It's been close to 40 years since that happened," said Roy Evans, a chiropractor at Cascade Chiropractic on Fourth Avenue in Olympia, while shoveling outside his office. "It's kind of fun."

White Christmas

Temperatures were expected to plummet Monday night, possibly into the upper teens, said Andy Haner, meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Seattle. Melted ice and snow on the roads will freeze, so motorists should be extra cautious during their commute this morning.

The next weather system will arrive as early as tonight. Up to an inch of snow is forecast for the lower elevations before it changes to cold rain before mid-day, Haner said.

Snow showers are forecast for Christmas, he said, although accumulations will vary widely. It's possible the snow will be mixed with rain.

Unusual event

The previous snowfall record for December in the Olympia area was 10 inches in 1955, according to a weather service database, Haner said.