Thousands lose power after another round of wet, heavy snow blankets Hood Canal, North Sound



SNOHOMISH COUNTY -- Power outages impacted over 20,000 people in western Washington at some point Wednesday after another round of snow and wind.



The heaviest accumulations were seen in Skagit and Whatcom counties and along the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Hood Canal. Areas around Bellingham and Port Angeles were hit hard, with more than a foot of snow reported in some spots.

Nearly 12,000 people were still without power as of 8:15 p.m. Wednesday.

Here's a list of snowfall totals from Q13 Meteorologist Tim Joyce:




    Most of the snow moved into Canada before 4 a.m., but forecasters warn that driving conditions will be dicey in areas where heavy snow fell overnight.

    More than a dozen school districts canceled classes in western Washington. Click here for a full list.

    More snow is possible this afternoon along the Olympic Peninsula and in north Kitsap County, and the South Sound and the Hood Canal will likely see more snow Wednesday night.



    Winds will pick up big time later Wednesday. In the Cascade foothills and along the coast, wind gusts could top 60 mph and wreak more havoc on communities along U.S. 2  like Index and Baring that have been snowed in and without power since Sunday.



    By Thursday, the lowlands should start thawing out as snow levels rise. But that creates more problems for the foothills and the mountains that are covered in snow. Pass travel will continue to be problematic.

    Quick Links: