Snowy, icy conditions cause traffic delays, school closures in Olympia area
Snowy, icy conditions arrived in the Olympia Wednesday night, leading to traffic delays and school closures Thursday morning.
Thurston County woke up to temperatures in the low 20s, wind chills as low as 16 degrees, and snow cover in most areas, according to the National Weather Service.
A wintry weather advisory extended over South Puget Sound and Olympic Peninsula Wednesday evening as snow began to fall. In a tweet, the NWS said it had heard reports of trace amounts to 3 inches of snow accumulating on roadways in some places.
The NWS forecast indicates a very cold air mass will remain locked over the region through Friday. Another round of lowland snow may arrive late Saturday and into Sunday, but the NWS expects temperatures to moderate next week.
Two semi-trucks collided at about 5:30 a.m. on the northbound lanes of Interstate 5 near U.S. 101, according to Trooper Robert Reyer.
Troopers and Washington state Department of Transportation officials responded to the scene and reported no injuries. The two right lanes remained blocked until around 9:40 a.m. as tow trucks worked to remove the semi-trucks.
One lane remained closed as crews worked to clean a fuel spill, according to WSDOT. This closure may extend into the afternoon.
Delays and closures
- All Olympia School District campuses were closed Thursday due to the weather. All after-school and evening activities were canceled as well. The district initially hoped to open schools two hours late.
- Tumwater School District canceled classes on Thursday due to icy road conditions and frigid temperatures. Winter graduation and a school board meeting will continue as scheduled in the evening. The district says it would decide whether to cancel after-school activities around noon.
- North Thurston Public Schools announced a three-hour late start for Thursday classes. However, preschool and out-of-district transportation were canceled.
- Tenino School District closed its campuses on Thursday.
- Rochester School District closed its campuses on Thursday.
- Shelton School District closed its campuses on Thursday.
- Griffin School District started classed two hours late. Morning buses were on snow routes. No out-of-district transportation.
- Rainier School District started two hours late. Morning preschool was canceled.
- Oakville School District closed its campuses on Thursday. No out-of-district transportation.
- McCleary School District closed its campuses on Thursday.
- Elma School District closed its campuses on Thursday.
- St. Michael Olympia closed on Thursday. No morning preschool.
- Pope John Paul II High School closed on Thursday.
- Saint Martin’s University planned to to start three hours late.
- South Sound YMCA Child Care Services canceled morning childcare in North Thurston, Olympia and Shelton school districts. Childcare sites in Tumwater School District were closed for the morning and afternoon.
- Skokomish Tribe closed on Thursday.
- Thurston County operated its offices and courts on their regular schedules on Thursday.
- Thurston County Superior Court offices at its main campus, Family Juvenile Court and Drug Court remained open during normal business hours Thursday, according to a county news release. Anyone with a court appointment who’s unable to travel to court or may be delayed should call their attorney, the main campus at 360-786-5560 or Family Juvenile Court at 360-709-3201. Jurors may contact Jury Administration at 360-786-5566 or thurstonjury@co.thurston.wa.gov.
This story was originally published February 23, 2023 at 8:15 AM.
