First winter storm buries La Conner, western Skagit County

Today is the official start of winter.

The seasons changed Monday, though, when La Conner and the Puget Sound region awakened to sub-freezing temperatures and light snow on the ground.

Much of the same is forecast through Friday.

The wintry conditions immediately impacted schedules. La Conner Schools Monday morning canceled Tuesday classes, the last day of school before winter break.

The La Conner High girls' basketball game at Meridian Monday and the Braves' Tuesday tipoff with Clallam Bay were postponed.

Those calls came in advance of the National Weather Service in Seattle issuing a Winter Storm Warning from Monday 7 p.m. until Tuesday 7 p.m. Heavy snow and record-breaking cold temperatures were predicted.

La Conner residents experienced overnight temperatures in the low 20s, a steady powdery snowfall of several inches, and slippery local roadways. The low Monday was 20.9 degrees at 8 a.m. and 20.7 degrees 7 a.m. Tuesday at the Washington State University Memorial Highway weather station.

Swinomish Tribal Police reported early Tuesday that "the entire length of Reservation Road is a mess" and that Pioneer Parkway and road surfaces in Shelter Bay were quite slick.

"If you have to drive," a tribal police spokesman said, "give yourself a lot of time to get there."

The Town's planning commission canceled its Tuesday meeting.

The Town of La Conner Public works crew began plowing streets and removing snow from sidewalks 5 a.m. Tuesday. Whitney Hill (East Washington Street) was blocked to traffic, as is customary during winter storms that hit town, said Public Works Director Brian Lease. Kids turned it into their sledding hill.

Some of the work was made easier by the type of dry, powdery snow that fell. Seven inches was measured at a La Conner site Tuesday.

"The good thing," Lease said, "is with this stuff we can use the large leaf blowers. It actually moves the snow."

The Port of Skagit had a plow in service at La Conner Marina Tuesday morning as well.

Lease said his department was preparing for temperatures in the teens on Wednesday and Thursday mornings. The challenges won't end there, he said.

Lease anticipates water leaks and related issues to arise when temperatures are forecast to reach the high 40s and perhaps low 50s on Christmas weekend.

"When it thaws out on Saturday," he said, "it could be a mess."