I-90 reopens after snow closure

Associated Press

SEATTLE – Interstate 90 over Snoqualmie Pass was reopened early today, about 10 hours after Washington state’s principal east-west arterial was closed by heavy snow and littered with damaged and abandoned cars and trucks.

Multiple spinouts and abandoned vehicles resulted in closure of the freeway late Sunday night. State transportation crews reopened the road to traffic over the 3,022-foot Cascades pass 10 hours later, shortly after 9 a.m. today.

The moist Pacific weather system that dumped 8-15 inches of snow on the western slopes Sunday moved off to the east this morning, the National Weather Service reported.

Hundreds of travelers making their way home from the Thanksgiving holiday were stranded on approaches to both sides of the pass.

Snow also caused closure of Washington 410 through Chinook Pass, east of Mount Rainier, and Washington 20 through North Cascades National Park, and both roads could remain closed for the winter season. Avalanche control crews were sent to check conditions today.

Before I-90 was closed, accidents in the snow and slush caused a 50-mile backup from North Bend, 30 miles west of the pass, to Elk Heights on the east side, the Washington State Patrol reported.

U.S. 2 was closed through Stevens Pass for about 2 1/2hours because of bad weather before being reopened Sunday night, the state Transportation Department said. Chains were required through the pass early today.

Snow tires were required on U.S. 12 through White Pass and on the Mount Baker Highway, Washington 542.

A snow advisory for the southern Washington Cascades was canceled early today by the National Weather Service but remained in effect for the north and central Washington Cascades with additional accumulations of 3 to 5 inches of snow predicted.