High Wind And Snow Closes Roads Weather Causes Traffic Accidents; More Snow In Forecast For Weekend

Brace yourself for more weather woes.

With a winter storm watch in effect, another 6 inches of snow is expected to fall in the region by this afternoon, according to the National Weather Service.

“We’ve had more snow than we’ve had in a while, but we’re just getting started,” said John Livingston, a Weather Service meteorologist. “It’s likely that we’ll continue to see significant amounts of snow.”

Although this year’s snowfall is just 3.9 inches above average, it may seem like a ton after the mild winters of the past three years.

On Friday, compact snow and ice covered parts of Interstate 90 and highways all over North Idaho and Eastern Washington.

Friday morning brought blizzard conditions to Latah and Whitman counties, forcing the closure of U.S. Highway 95 and Highway 195.

Winds gusting up to 60 mph howled across the Palouse carrying drifts of snow over the highways and into small towns, sometimes bringing white-out conditions.

On Highway 195 between Pullman and Lewiston at least three tractor-trailers were scattered off the road like toys that had been dropped in a yard.

One truck that had been traveling south to the Idaho border from Pullman early Friday was blown across the northbound lane and left on its side in a field about 20 feet from where commuter cars crawled past.

“It’s funny. People will call and say `Are the roads open yet?’ I say no. And then they ask me if I know when they’ll be open again or if it’s safe to drive on them anyway,” said Darla Buckley, spokeswoman for the Latah County Sheriff’s Office.

One woman told Buckley her son had four-wheel drive so even if the road is closed, he could make it.

“People think it’s not closed for them,” she said. “People don’t get it. It’s unsafe to drive. (The officers) are actually having to block off the roads.”

At the worst times Friday morning, deputies were responding to slide-offs and minor accidents caused from drivers running into one another at low speeds.

By noon Friday, the sun was out and Highways 95 and 195 had been reopened, but officers are ready to close them again as bad weather conditions return today.

The hazardous road conditions Friday caused several accidents. A 79-year-old Spokane man died in one accident on the snowy roads.

Ronald O. Matteson died after his 1996 Pontiac collided with a 1997 Ford pickup at the intersection of Flora Street and Trent Avenue in Spokane County.

The pickup’s driver, Richard Doering, 48, received cuts and abrasions. The Rathdrum resident was treated at Valley Medical Center, according to the Washington State Patrol. Two passengers in Doering’s vehicle, ages 16 and 11, suffered minor injuries. A passenger in Matteson’s car, a 74-year-old woman, wasn’t hurt, the WSP said.

Drivers and homeowners may not like all the snow, but it’s a welcome change of weather for some retailers who are seeing a flurry of sales of weather-related clothing, equipment and auto supplies.

“Almost everything we’re selling today is storm-related,” said John Montandon, owner of Ace Hardware in Coeur d’Alene.

Snow shovels, traction sand and heat tapes, along with anti-freeze to help start sluggish cars and snowblowers, were some of the best-selling items at the store on Sherman Avenue.

“The ones that are having problems are coming in,” Montandon said. “We deal in trouble help.”

Sales started picking up around 2 p.m. Thursday, when snow started falling in earnest.

“It’s been wonderful. We haven’t had winter for three to four years,” said Philip Motl, manager of the Army-Navy Store in Coeur d’Alene.

The store was doing a brisk business in coveralls, coats, boots and wool socks - inventory that hadn’t sold during recent mild winters.

Snow was expected to fall again after midnight and continue throughout today. In the Palouse, the snow will be mixed with freezing rain. High temperatures will be around freezing level with lows in the 20s.

“We’re in one of those messy situations where we’re going to pin it down as best as we can and with Mother Nature showing us what will happen,” Livingston said.

This year’s snowfall, which was a total of 17.4 inches on Friday, will probably top the more than 18 inches that fell in Spokane and Coeur d’Alene during the winter of 1997-98. By the time the season’s over, Livingston said, it may even be closer to the 1996-97 total of 80.5 inches.

Staff writer Becky Kramer contributed to this report.