The weather seemed as confused as the clocks Sunday, when rain, wind, hail and even snow interrupted sunshine on the return of standard time.
Americans braced for early nightfall for the first time in months, and Snohomish County residents readied for brisk temperatures.
Snow sprinkled throughout the Cascade Mountains on Sunday afternoon, meteorologist Jay Albrecht of the National Weather Service said. Most areas took about two inches, and more than four inches dropped on Stevens Pass.
The snow came quickly – all within about two hours – and caught drivers by surprise, Albrecht said.
State troopers said most of the accidents have been on the eastern side of the mountains, but that there were several disabled vehicles on the west side.
Interstate 90 was closed for hours Sunday at Snoqualmie Pass after heavy snow and hail iced the roads, causing a series of collisions.
The Washington State Patrol ordered the closure in both directions at 3:30 p.m. Transportation Department spokeswoman Lauren Chudecke said more than a dozen cars were stranded sideways, in the ditch or on the median.
By 8:45 p.m., all lanes were open in both directions, but motorists were advised to expect delays due to congestion.
Hail fell and bounced on roads throughout Snohomish County, Albrecht said.
“It’s normal that around the second or third week in October we start getting systems like this,” he said. “Some of the systems in late October can be quite blustery. We’re moving into our traditional rainy and stormy time of the year.”
There were power outages throughout southern Snohomish County after strong winds whipped through the area, according to Snohomish County Public Utilities District officials. It was unclear on Sunday evening how many homes were without power.
Residents of Western Washington can expect mild temperatures and below normal snowfall this winter, Albrecht said.
The princesses, goblins and superheroes planning to celebrate Halloween on Tuesday should wear costume-appropriate capes. Evening temperatures this week are expected to dip below 40 degrees, Albrecht said.
Reporter Krista J. Kapralos: 425-339-3422 or kkapralos@heraldnet.com.
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