More snow possible Thursday and Friday, followed by rain Friday night
By Morgan Rothborne, Ashland.news
Ashland School District schools will be closed Thursday due to hazardous weather conditions, according to a post on the district website Wednesday evening. That’s after heavy snow Wednesday morning caused delays.
“Unfortunately, the forecast did not match the conditions this morning and conditions rapidly shifted after buses were deployed for morning pick up,” read a post on the district site earlier Wednesday. Before canceling school altogether, the district initially planned to start with a two-hour delay Thursday.
Southern Oregon University announced it would close campus all day Thursday, Jan. 11. As of Thursday afternoon, plans called for campus to reopen Friday, Jan. 12
A winter weather advisory announced early Wednesday evening by the National Weather Service for everywhere above 2,500 feet throughout Southern Oregon remains effective until 4 a.m. Thursday. Chains and caution are advised for travel, up to 4 inches of snow is possible in high elevation areas, according to a post on the TripCheck website.
The city of Ashland has four snowplows which it said Wednesday would be operating throughout the city, moving through priority areas first, according to a post on the city’s website. Routes to the city hospital and main artery roads were given priority. To look at the city’s snow plot map, visit the city’s site.
All after-school activities were canceled Wednesday throughout the Ashland School District Wednesday.
Ashland’s severe weather shelter will remain open nights through Monday, Jan. 15, according to a post on the city’s website. The shelter is open from 5 p.m. to 9 a.m. at 2200 Ashland St.
High Cascade passes through Diamond Lake and Crater Lake closed overnight due to the weather, according to a release from the Oregon Department of Transportation. The closure includes OR Highway 62 from Union Creek to the Crater Lake National Park west boundary, OR Highway 230 from Union Creek to the intersection with OR Highway 138E (Diamond Lake Junction), OR Highway 138E between OR Highway 230 and U.S. Highway 97. The roads have reopened, but hazardous conditions and limited visibility should be expected, according to the release.
As of Wednesday evening, forecasters called for rain and snow in Ashland after 11 a.m. Thursday, becoming partly sunny with a near near 38. Thursday evening will likely see a low of 31 and the return of rain and snow, mostly after 5 a.m. Friday.
Rain and snow Friday morning gives way to just rain during the day and a high near 42. More rain is a 100% possibility that evening — and again Saturday, forecasters say, with a total of around an inch of rain expected.
Saturday night? Rain, but this time with only a 60% probability.
The sun is expected to come out again Sunday, with the snow level at about 4,000 feet and a high near 43.
Have photos of Ashland’s big snow storm Wednesday? Email them to news@ashland.news and we’ll add them to our Reader Photos page.
Email Ashland.news reporter Morgan Rothborne at morganr@ashland.news. Ashland.news editor Bert Etling contributed to this report. Email him at betling@ashland.news.
Jan. 11: Story updated with new severe weather shelter and SOU information.
