STORM WATCH: Snow, Black Ice, Reeks Havoc For Willamette Valley Drivers Tuesday

The National Weather Service says another winter storm this week could bring freezing rain to the valley Wednesday night into Thursday morning.

(SALEM) - Snow showers along with black ice caused some major traffic headaches throughout the Salem-area Tuesday morning. The snow, which began falling early Monday, created for many a winter wonderland, and gave some kids an extended Thanksgiving Holiday break. Roads in most areas, where city, county, and state road crews hadn’t got to yet to remove the snow, slush, and black ice became slick and dangerous yesterday and today. Here are Salem-area streets that you need to Be Aware! of today and tonight: (All roads are OPEN) Chemawa Rd NE at the I-5 overpass: Icy conditions Salem-Dallas Highway: Icy conditions River Rd S: Icy conditions Marion and Center Street Bridges: Icy conditions Kuebler Blvd at the 1-5 overpass: Icy conditions Wallace Rd NW: Icy conditions Glen Creek Rd NW: Icy conditions Liberty Rd. S: Icy conditions Highway 22 (West and East): Icy conditions Commercial St @ Madrona: Icy conditions Ratcliff Drive SE: Icy conditions I-5 south of Salem: Icy conditions Firefighters and medics from the Jefferson Fire District were busy this morning responding to three motor vehicle accidents along I-5 District spokeswoman Elaine Parrott said. The first incident occurred at 5:18 AM at milepost 238 of southbound I-5 which involved three vehicles. According to Division Chief Troy Jurgens, the incident caused a partial blocking of the freeway for approximately an hour and a half. There were no injuries, but the wrecked vehicles caused debris to litter the southbound lanes. Firefighters assisted with traffic control, and assisted in removing the debris while waiting for a tow truck to arrive. The second incident, a vehicle rollover, was reported at 5:41 AM and was located at milepost 240 of I-5 northbound. The car rolled but luckily landed on its wheels in the brush along side the road. There were no injuries reported. The third incident, involving a military couple coming from Texas heading to Washington, occurred at the northbound Santiam Rest Area on-ramp where their pickup which was also pulling a trailer hauling a smaller car jack-knifed while they were leaving the northbound rest area. The couple was not injured. There were other incidents of cars sliding off the road this morning but the drivers did not need emergency assistance Parrott said. The snow and black ice caused some minor fender benders throughout Marion, Polk, Linn and Yamhill counties, but police reported no serious injuries. Yesterday, Students at Sprague High School said two school busses collided on school property. No students were reported in the incident. Police do ask that if you must travel in this weather, PLEASE slow down and give yourself plenty of space between you and the vehicle in front of you. Monday morning’s snow showers in the mid-valley did in most locations, forcing some school districts to give kids an extended Thanksgiving holiday break. That trend continued Tuesday morning. Here is the list of school closures and delays on Monday: Salem-Keizer - CLOSED, District offices are OPEN Dallas - CLOSED Falls City - CLOSED Sheridan - CLOSED Willamina - CLOSED Colton - CLOSED Molalla River - CLOSED Santiam Canyon - CLOSED Community Action Head Start of Marion & Polk Cos.- CLOSED - no classes in Dallas, Independence, Woodburn, Stayton, Salem, Keizer. Full day full year sites are closed. Willamette ESD - All WESD programs on 2 hour delay. Some classroom programs are now closed for the day. Salem Academy - CLOSED Salem Catholic Schools - CLOSED Dayton - CLOSED Central - CLOSED Yamhill-Carlton - CLOSED Corban College - Classes will begin at 10:30 AM Silver Falls - Silver Crest, Scotts Mills and Victor Point schools closed. All other schools 2 hours late, no morning kindergarten, buses on snow routes. Amity - 2 hrs late. Buses on Snow Routes. City of Salem crews were out plowing, sanding, and deicing roadways throughout Salem throughout the night and into Tuesday morning according to Mike Gotterba, Emergency Preparedness/Communications Manager for Salem public works. Five plows and a smaller truck-mounted v-plow were placed into operation yesterday. The bulk of the work was centered in west and south Salem Gotterba said. He added that as of 4:00 PM Monday, city crews had transitioned to 12-hour shifts around the clock until the snow and ice event abates. The NWS says that another system will move into the area Wednesday night into Thursday morning which could bring freezing rain or possibly more snow to the valley. Your Salem, Keizer, Mid-Valley Forecast From Salem-News.com: Today: Mostly cloudy with a chance of snow showers in the morning...then partly sunny. Snow accumulation up to 1 inch. Highs around 35. West wind 10 mph shifting to the north in the afternoon. Tonight: Mostly clear. Colder. Lows around 20. Northeast wind 5 to 15 mph. Wednesday: Mostly sunny. Highs around 35. Northeast wind 10 to 15 mph. Wednesday night: Increasing clouds with rain and pockets of freezing rain likely after midnight. Lows around 30. Southeast wind 10 to 15 mph. Thursday: Rain with areas of light freezing rain in the morning...then a chance of showers in the afternoon. Highs around 45. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph For more information on Salem’s Snow and Ice Response Program visit: www.cityofsalem.net/export/....