Weather closes classes, causes accidents

COEUR d'ALENE - The blizzard that hit North Idaho this week shut down college classes and caused numerous accidents.

North Idaho College and Lewis-Clark State College Coeur d'Alene canceled evening classes set for Wednesday due to heavy snow accumulations and hazardous driving conditions.

The January NIC Board of Trustees meeting scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday was canceled.

The NIC closure included classes at all off-campus sites and outreach centers, including the NIC Bonners Ferry Center, Silver Valley Center, Ponderay Center, Adult Basic Education Center, and Workforce Training Center.

The LCSC Cd'A business office also closed Wednesday and the main campus in Lewiston closed at noon.

If the North Idaho College campus is closed today, Lewis-Clark State College-Coeur d'Alene will also be closed.

Coeur d'Alene police reported 25 vehicle accidents between noon Tuesday and noon Wednesday. Most were due to icy, snowy roads.

Law enforcement responded to several crashes on Wednesday as road conditions worsened in the afternoon.

Idaho State Police troopers were scattered to four reportable property damage crashes simultaneously throughout North Idaho during mid-afternoon.

The Kootenai County Sheriff's Department had responded to three collisions by that time, Post Falls police four and Rathdrum police two.

No serious injuries were reported in those crashes.

"Driving conditions deteriorated as the day went on, but it also seems that drivers are adapting rather quickly to the changing conditions," said Lt. Stu Miller of the sheriff's department.

The forecast calls for continued snow through today, turning to rain Friday and Saturday as temperatures climb to the 40s.