By Tom Morphet
Blizzard-like conditions closed Haines schools Wednesday for the first time in several years, as winds whipped drifts across roads and reduced visibility.
Eighteen inches of fresh snow Wednesday morning pushed to 42 inches the total accumulation since Friday. Three records for daily snowfall in the townsite were set.
The National Weather Service issued a blizzard warning at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, citing sustained winds of 35 mph or more and visibility less than…