A strong winter storm closed U.S. 2 this morning after more than a foot of snow fell in the Cascade Range and high winds caused whiteout conditions, officials said.
Stevens Pass, pounded by blizzard conditions overnight, was expected to reopen by noon, state Department of Transportation spokeswoman Meghan Soptich said.
“There’s high winds and high avalanche danger right now,” she said this morning.
Power also was out at the pass, she said.
More snow and wind are expected in the mountains today, National Weather Service forecasters said. A blizzard warning is in effect in the mountains through this afternoon.
The state’s main east-to-west corridor, I-90 at Snoqualmie Pass, is closing intermittently for avalanche control, Soptich said.
High winds overnight caused few problems for Snohomish County PUD customers, spokesman Neil Neroutsos said.
“It hasn’t turned into as big an event as they had thought it might be,” he said.
The weather service canceled wind warnings for the coast this morning.
Showers are likely in the lowlands with occasional sun breaks throughout the day, forecaster Johnny Burg said
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