Schools were delayed for hours this morning and police reported several major accidents as Central Oregon again found itself digging out from another snow storm.

The storm hit areas south of Bend particularly hard. La Pine received a reported 10 inches of snow overnight and had 61 inches of snow on the roadside as of 7 a.m. today, according to the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT).

Snow forced Bend-La Pine school officials to cancel classes in La Pine and Sunriver today, and officials canceled all bus routes south of Lava Butte.

School officials planned to watch the weather and decide in the morning whether to close schools again Thursday.

While other areas received between 2 and 7 inches of snow overnight, Mount Bachelor was the big winner with 17 inches of fresh powder. Bachelor officials also reported 29 inches of new snow in the past 24 hours. The snowpack is now 84 inches at the base and 78 inches mid mountain. Hoodoo received 14 inches overnight, and Willamette Pass got 20 inches in the last 24 hours.

This morning, chains were required over every mountain pass and up to Mount Bachelor, and those highways were closed to larger vehicles. ODOT reported this morning that the mountain passes received between 2 and 7 inches of new snow overnight. Packed snow covered the road over the Santiam and Mount Hood passes this morning.

Bend received about 6 inches of snow overnight, according to the Public Works Department. This morning, the city dispatched all 11 sanders, nine plows and several contract plows to help push snow off roadways.

”It just takes some time to get it done. We’re just hoping weather breaks and it helps us out,” said Gary Davis of public works.

The city clears collector and arterial streets first to help traffic flow and emergency crews.

However, Prineville, Madras and other areas north and east of Bend received mere snow flurries and reported only trace amounts of snowfall overnight. However, ODOT officials reported black ice on the highway in Madras, Prineville and on Highway 20 east of Bend.

Sisters received a reported 6 inches of snow overnight. At Central Oregon Community College on Bend’s west side, officials reported no delays this morning and did not anticipate having to close the campus for classes tonight.

”We’re actually in good shape. No problems,” said Ron Paradis, director of college relations. ”This is finals week, and finals are a time we’ll do everything possible not to close.”

In Bend and Central Oregon, the forecast calls for a small chance of rain or snow each day with the snow level rising to 4,000 feet on Thursday.

Tonight, the forecast calls for rain or snow. The snow level will rise to 4,000 feet with 1 to 3 inches of snow accumulation expected by morning above 4,000 feet. The chance of precipitation is 70 percent. Lows should be in the mid-20s to lower 30s.

On Thursday, there is a 40 percent chance of rain or snow. Highs should range from 40 to 50 with a low overnight in the upper 20s to lower 30s.

In the mountains, a winter storm watch should remain in effect tonight and Thursday. Forecaster predict ”significant accumulations” up to 18 inches on Thursday.

Emergency dispatchers reported only minor accidents on area roads early this morning, although serious injury crashes were reported in Jefferson County, where ODOT officials reported black ice.

In Deschutes County, the weather contributed to two injury accidents Tuesday.

Around 10:45 p.m., a 67-year-old British Columbia man, his 69-year-old wife and a 44-year-old Bend woman were taken to St. Charles Medical Center after the couple reportedly lost control of their car on an icy Highway 97 near Sunriver and slid into the path of an oncoming pickup.

The couple Edward and Edna Hubner of Nemon, B.C. were driving north on Highway 97 in a 1993 GMC pickup pulling a 28-foot travel trailer when they lost control of the vehicle and slid into the southbound lanes, according to the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office.

The couple slid into the patch of a 1988 Ford Ranger driven by Carrie Bush, 44, of Bend. Bush had to be extricated from her pickup by cutting the top off.

All three were taken to St. Charles. The Hubners were treated and released, and Bush was in fair condition at the hospital this morning, a hospital official said.

In a separate accident earlier Tuesday, three people were taken to St. Charles after a Sunriver woman lost control of her car on snow and ice on Highway 97 and caused a chain-reaction accident.

The woman, Gwen Bailey, spun completely around on the highway around 4 p.m. The car behind her, driven by Russell Kremer of La Pine, then collided with Bailey causing the car behind Kremer, driven by Mario Roque of Bend, to collide with him.

Kremer and Bailey were taken to St. Charles Medical Center with minor injuries.

Ted Taylor of The Bulletin contributed to this report.