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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Two wheels to freedom: Phoenix camp helps kids with disabilities learn to ride ... Rocker's old house vaults Williams into the spotlight ... Mail Tribune garners 11 first-place wins at ONPA ... Two wheels to freedom: Phoenix camp helps kids with disabilities learn to ride ... Rocker's old house vaults Williams into the spotlight ... Mail Tribune garners 11 first-place wins at ONPA ... WEATHER Snowstorm brightens hopes for Mt. Ashland reopening Roads get slippery at higher elevations Comment By Thomas Moriarty Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Thomas Moriarty Mail Tribune Posted Dec. 24, 2014 at 5:01 PM By Thomas Moriarty Mail Tribune Posted Dec. 24, 2014 at 5:01 PM » Social News ASHLAND — A sudden snowstorm on Christmas Eve has renewed hopes of a quick reopening for the Mt. Ashland Ski Area, which was forced to close Sunday after being open for only two days. "I try not to make predictions, but Grizzly Peak is white right now, so that's a really good sign," said manager Hiram Towle Wednesday afternoon, referring to a lower mountain across the valley from the ski area. "We have a crew up there right now monitoring," he said. "I'll be up there with them tomorrow." Towle said the next window the ski park staff would have to groom the area's runs would probably be Friday. "It's very likely that we'll shoot for a Friday reopening," he said. A graphic from the National Weather Service predicted more than 7 inches could fall at Lake of the Woods, with more than 4 expected on the Siskiyou Pass above Ashland. Dead Indian Memorial Road was estimated at close to 6 inches, and Crater Lake and Diamond Lake are predicted to see more than 5 inches. That means roads will be slick. "The changeover from rain to snow will be quite abrupt and a 1- to 3-hour period of moderate to heavy snow will be enough to overcome initially warm road surfaces," an advisory from the Weather Service read. As of 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, the Oregon Department of Transportation was reporting continuous heavy snow on Interstate 5 in the Siskiyou Pass, but with no accumulation and no requirement that chains or traction tires be used. "I would say we're still in the 'carry' (chains or traction tires) mode," said state police Sgt. Jeff Allison.  Allison said OSP troopers from the Central Point Area Command dealt with a flurry of vehicles sliding off Highway 140 earlier in the afternoon, but that ODOT officials he had spoken to were optimistic. "They were confident that with the amount of crews they had out there they could get it taken care of," he said. National Weather Service meteorologist Ken Sargeant said some additional showers of mixed rain and snow are possible Christmas day, with snow levels dropping to between 1,500 to 2,000 feet. More snow is expected to be sprinkled in the foothills, as well as in parts of Ashland and Talent. "I wouldn't put it out of the question for Medford seeing a few snowflakes from these showers," Sargeant said. Reach reporter Thomas Moriarty at 541-776-4471, or by email at [email protected] . Follow him at @ThomasDMoriarty .  Reporter Ryan Pfeil contributed to this story. By Thomas Moriarty Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Thomas Moriarty Mail Tribune Posted Dec. 24, 2014 at 5:01 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501