SPOKANE — It’s not even Thanksgiving and Spokane residents have already been buried under three snowstorms that dropped as much as 20 inches in some areas.
The National Weather Service said 2 to 4 inches fell in the Spokane area Tuesday morning. That followed a storm last week that dropped 8 to 10 inches, and a Monday storm that dumped 4 to 6 inches on the city.
"It is early for this much snow," said Matt Fugazzi of the National Weather Service.
The Spokane area normally gets about 47 inches of snow in an entire winter, and 6.4 inches in a typical November. No major storms are on the horizon, although it will continue snowing in the mountains, Fugazzi said.
Heavy snow also fell in the Cascade Range on Tuesday.
Wind whipped the snow around the Spokane area on Tuesday morning, reducing visibility and helping cause dozens of auto accidents.
The Washington State Patrol reported 25 accidents in the Spokane area early Tuesday, while the Spokane Police Department reported 40 accidents in the city.
Snow, icy conditions and numerous car crashes have closed the westbound lanes of Interstate 84 between La Grande and Pendleton.
The Oregon Department of Transportation shut down the lanes at 9 a.m. Tuesday, spokesman Tom Strandberg said. The eastbound lanes were closed between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m.
According to Strandberg, heavy snow and winds made the Cabbage Hill climb between La Grande and Pendleton particularly difficult. Several trucks and cars, most without chains, crashed or spun out on the slick roadway.
It was uncertain how many vehicles had crashed, or how long the westbound lanes would be closed.
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