Forecasters Say Winter Not Ready To Call It Quits

A late-winter storm dumped three inches of snow on Spokane Saturday afternoon - just 1.1 inches less than normal for the entire month of March.

Saturday’s snow and freezing conditions caused several accidents in the region, as well as snow slides over Snoqualmie Pass.

A 7 a.m. accident on U.S. Highway 2 injured seven people, four of whom were children. All of the children were thrown from a Chevy Blazer. None were wearing seatbelts, the State Patrol reported. The children, ages 4 through 12, were taken to a hospital in Davenport and to Sacred Heart Medical Center. They suffered head injuries and internal injuries.

The Blazer was heading east and slowed to wait for a car turning onto Miles-Creston Road. The driver - 38-year-old Casey R. Hamilton of Republic - lost control and slid into the westbound lane. A Toyota Tercel driven by 23-year-old Jessie A. Hardt of Reardan slammed into the Blazer.

Both vehicles were totaled.

The Inland Northwest isn’t likely to get any sunbreaks until Friday, said meteorologist Mark Strobin, of the National Weather Service.

The forecast shows little else but snow showers, rain and cloudy skies. Average temperatures should be in the low to mid-30s.

In North Idaho, state police ran a snowy marathon as accident calls kept piling up all day.

There were no major injuries.

At Snoqualmie Pass, both east and westbound lanes were closed early Saturday after snow slides swept up some vehicles. The pass was expected to be open early this morning.

, DataTimes