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A surprise snow Mail Tribune / Roy Musitelli Southbound Interstate 5 travelers were stopped at Ashland Saturday morning and required to put on chains before being allowed to cross the Siskiyou Pass. The season's first good snowstorm dumped about a foot of snow on Mount Ashland and three inches in Ashland and the Applegate. The season's first serious storm slows I-5; snow level predicted for 1,500 feet today By SARAH LEMON Mail Tribune Holiday travelers may have an easier time getting home today if they fly instead of drive. The first heavy snowstorm of the season dumped a few inches on the Interstate 5 Siskiyou Pass Saturday, and only vehicles with snow chains or four-wheel drive were allowed on the road that morning. Oregon Department of Transportation officials advised travelers to delay trips over the Siskiyous as long as possible. The snow pack started to break up by the afternoon, and southbound vehicles were advised to carry chains or traction tires. Rain mixed with snow fell in Medford, but all incoming flights at Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport were able to land, said an air traffic controller at the tower. Fog hadn't been a problem, he added. For motorists, however, traveling became a laborious process. Road closures in California early Saturday backed up northbound traffic on the pass, and it was slow-moving Saturday afternoon, said an Oregon State Police dispatcher. The dispatcher said agency officials had no word on whether the pass would be closed today; it all depended on the weather. The snow level dropped to 1,500 feet early Saturday morning, taking area meteorologists - who had forecast snow to fall at 3,000 feet - by surprise. Because the storm moved in so early, precipitation passed through pockets of cold air still trapped in the valley, said National Weather Service meteorologist Dan Weygard. "It was just cold enough with the higher elevations ... to snow," he said, adding that snow in November is a little unusual for the Rogue Valley. Ashland and the Applegate Valley each received about 3 inches of snow, Weygard said. The snow level should hover around 1,500 feet this morning but later should rise to 2,500 feet, he said. Mount Ashland garnered a foot of snow in the storm, but the mountain needs about another foot before Ski Ashland can open, said Jeff Hanson, general manager. The mountain's ski season usually starts between Dec. 10 and 15, Hanson said, but it could begin earlier, depending on the storm's remaining snowfall. "We're getting closer," he said. "It's been a nice weekend of snow for us." Showers, turning to snow in the higher elevations, are expected today, with low temperatures of 30 to 35 degrees and highs of 40 to 42 degrees, Weygard said. The storm is expected to taper off by Monday. Although fog made it more difficult for motorists to navigate Siskiyou Pass, no traffic accidents resulted in serious injuries Saturday, police officials said. Traffic was backed up near I-5 milepost 6 for over an hour Saturday night because of a vehicle that rolled over on the freeway, but no one was injured. "I'm impressed," said Jackson County Sheriff's Sgt. John Atkins, adding that with stormy weather conditions and holiday travelers and shoppers on the road, he expected more traffic crashes Saturday. Most accidents that required law enforcement response were on I-5 and Highway 140 near Klamath Falls, said an OSP dispatcher. Snow packed Highway 66 near the Greensprings Summit, Highway 138 near the Diamond Lake Summit and Highway 140 near Doak Mountain. Motorists were advised to carry chains and traction tires. The Prospect area also saw severe winter weather, with snow flurries and icy patches on roadways. Pacific Power reported a few weather-related power outages in Grants Pass and Klamath Falls Saturday afternoon. Crews were working Saturday on lines downed by snow, wind and ice, said a Pacific Power spokeswoman, who had no information on the number of customers affected by the outages. Reach reporter Sarah Lemon at 776-4487, or e-mail [email protected] . On the Net: ODOT road report: http://www.tripcheck.com/RoadCond/rwzone7.htm Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.