Black ice caused chaos on Abbotsford roads on Monday morning during the first full-scale commute after last week's foul weather.

There were four crashes within an hour and half period - one of which downed a hydro pole leaving thousands of residents in the dark.

The crashes occurred between 4:30 a.m. and 6 a.m., said Const. Ian MacDonald.

A crash in the 31500 block of Maclure Road snapped a power pole in half and plunged more than 3,000 hydro customers into darkness around 4:49 a.m.

The westbound vehicle lost control north of Fishtrap Creek Park and struck the pole, bringing live wires down on a car headed in the opposite direction, said MacDonald.

"That female drive wisely stayed in her car until first responders and hydro could assist her and get the wires out of the way."

The blackout stretched west of Maclure Road to Automall Drive, and from Peardonville Road north to Downes Road, but most residents had power restored by 9.25 a.m.

Police blocked Maclure Road between Clearbrook and Old Yale roads for four hours while BC Hydro crews worked to restore power.

Three other crashes occurred in the same time frame, including one that sent two vehicles into the ditch along the Fraser Highway west of Mt. Lehman around 4:30 a.m.

Fortunately, no one suffered serious injuries in the collisions, said MacDonald.

"With the warming trend through the weekend, drivers ventured out today . . . and maybe people weren't expecting black ice or it caught them by surprise."

Straiton Road on Sumas Mountain was also closed down Monday morning due to icy conditions, said MacDonald.

The problems are expected to ease as the morning progresses.

The temperature in Abbotsford was expected to climb to 6 C.

There were fewer crashes last week, even during the worst of the weather on Wednesday and Friday, said MacDonald.

There were only six minor weather-related crashes Friday through Sunday, he said.

However, a 39-year-old woman's leg was broken when she was struck by a car turning left into a parking lot in the 2200 block of McKenzie Road at 7:45 p.m. on Sunday.

The Fraser Valley's last bout of arctic weather ended with an period of freezing rain on Friday that caused widespread accumulation of ice on vehicles, roads and sidewalks.

Conditions in Abbotsford and Mission weren't severe Friday morning, but public schools were closed in anticipation of the weather in the afternoon.

The University of the Fraser Valley also closed all its campuses.

Despite the improved weather conditions, drivers still need to take extra care, particularly when making left turns, said MacDonald.

"The Fraser Valley has been hit harder [by the weather] than the rest of Lower Mainland, and we have more piles of snow on the side of the road," he said.

Rbaker@abbotsfordtimes.com