Overnight snow and freezing conditions in Snohomish and Lewis counties led to multiple school schedule changes on Wednesday, underscoring a week of unstable winter weather across western Washington. While no major impacts were reported in Cowlitz County as of Wednesday morning, the pattern prompting closures elsewhere is the same one the National Weather Service has warned could bring intermittent low‑elevation snow to the I‑5 corridor through the end of the week.

The Granite Falls School District announced early Wednesday that all schools and campuses would close for the day after overnight snow left slushy, ice‑coated roads. The district stated that its decision was based on hazardous conditions and forecasts calling for continued freezing temperatures and morning snowfall. The district shared updates through its official Facebook page and website.

In Lewis County, the Pe Ell School District announced a two‑hour delay for Wednesday due to local road conditions. That follows a Tuesday delay in the Taholah School District, where snow and ice disrupted morning transportation.

According to the National Weather Service Seattle, showers this week are expected to produce a rain‑snow mix in many lowland areas during the coldest overnight and early‑morning hours. The agency noted that snow accumulation is most likely under heavier showers, with higher hills and exposed inland areas having the best chance of seeing sticking snow. A Winter Weather Advisory remained active Tuesday for parts of the Olympic Peninsula and Hood Canal region.

Local meteorologists have described the week’s pattern as unstable but unlikely to produce widespread lowland snow. Scott Sistek, writing for The Emerald City Weather Blog, estimated the week’s overall snow potential as moderate but not severe.

While communities in Snohomish and Lewis counties are dealing with immediate impacts, jurisdictions across southwest Washington remain on alert as the region moves through several days of cold overnight temperatures. Transportation departments and school districts in Cowlitz County have not announced major weather‑related disruptions as of Wednesday morning, but local officials continue monitoring conditions as the pattern persists.

The National Weather Service continues to advise Western Washington residents to watch for slick roads in the early morning hours and to plan for possible spotty snowfall on higher hills or exposed roadways.

Why this matters for Cowlitz County

Although Wednesday’s confirmed closures occurred farther north, they reflect a weather pattern affecting the entire western side of the state. Local agencies in Cowlitz County have historically faced similar challenges when short‑notice overnight freezes develop. The week’s evolving conditions mean transportation planners, school districts, and emergency managers throughout the I‑5 corridor—including Longview and Kelso—may need to adjust operations with little advance notice if the current pattern deepens.

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