Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Early 2017 snowstorm pounds southern, central Oregon

The snow line on the Coburg Hills hovers above the Willamette Valley north of Eugene Tuesday. (Brian Davies / Associated Press)
Associated Press

PORTLAND – An early 2017 storm dumped snow in southern and central Oregon, and more is expected.

The Mail Tribune reported up to 3 additional inches could fall Wednesday in Medford, Ashland and Grants Pass, and up to 18 more inches could fall higher up along the Siskiyou Pass and around Crater Lake.

Meanwhile, schools throughout Central Oregon are closed Wednesday because of heavy snowfall. State agencies were also closed in Crook, Deschutes, Jefferson, Klamath and Lake counties.

KTVZ reported that a National Weather Service spotter northwest of Terrebonne reported a foot of new snow overnight and three-foot snow drifts early Wednesday. A weather spotter southeast of Bend reported 8 new inches and also had three-foot snow drifts as snow continued to fall.

ODOT said early Wednesday that an avalanche was blocking at least some lanes of U.S. Highway 20, west of Santiam Pass.