Snoqualmie Pass reopens on I-90 after heavy snow closure
Table of Contents
- 2:44 p.m.: Records and precipitation totals
- 1:05 p.m.: Road crews tackle 100 downed trees
- 11:59 a.m.: SR 509 debris slide
- 9:33 a.m.: More snow falls as flights get delayed
- 8:46 a.m.: I-90 reopens
- 8:10 a.m.: Stevens Pass closure
- 7:34 a.m.: Dozens of flights are delayed, canceled
- 7:20 a.m.: Thousands across Puget Sound region without power
- 7 a.m.: Snoqualmie Pass remains shut down
Snoqualmie Pass along Interstate 90 has reopened after being closed for about a day due to heavy snowfall and dangerous driving conditions. Crews worked to clear more than 20 inches of snow, and chain requirements remain in effect for most vehicles as slushy roads persist.
SEATTLE – This article was continuously updated throughout the day with new information. More detailed weather information for the weekend can be found on the FOX 13 Weather Blog.
2:44 p.m.: Records and precipitation totals
The National Weather Service has released a list of broken records for the Seattle area following precipitation events in the region on Friday, Mar. 13.
Rainfall totals at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport smashed the previous record. Yesterday, the airport recorded 1.22 inches of rain. The old record was just 0.7 inches back in 1961.
Additionally, there was record snowfall at the airport. Three inches hit the ground there yesterday, whereas the previous Mar. 13 record was 1.7 inches back in 1955.
Lastly, down at the airport in Olympia, there was a record 1.8 inches of rainfall. This broke the previous record of 1.21 inches set there back in 2008.
1:05 p.m.: Road crews tackle 100 downed trees
State Route 410 between Enumclaw and Greenwater saw dozens of downed trees heading into the weekend as snow piled up on limbs and winds swept through the region Friday and Saturday.
The roadway remains closed, with WSDOT officials saying, “there is a lot to be done,” and that they do not expect it to reopen on Saturday.
11:59 a.m.: SR 509 debris slide
Deteriorating weather conditions have caused a slide along State Route 509. While road crews work to make it safe for travel again, the highway is shut down in both directions until further notice.
The closure runs between milepost 4 near Taylor Way and milepost 5 near Norpoint Way. More info is on the WSDOT traffic page.
9:33 a.m.: More snow falls as flights get delayed
Flight delays are ticking up at area airports. There are currently seven delayed flights at Paine Field Airport, while Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is seeing more than 110 delays and 68 cancellations.
Additionally, the National Weather Service is reporting the snow level has dropped to 500 feet elevation, increasing the number of residents and neighborhoods experiencing snowfall heading into Saturday afternoon.
8:46 a.m.: I-90 reopens
Following an overnight closure with 22 inches of fresh snow, WSDOT announced I-90 had reopened in both directions. However, any vehicle that isn’t AWD is required to use chains.
8:10 a.m.: Stevens Pass closure
Stevens Pass US 2 remains closed “due to heavy traffic and severe winter weather,” according to WSDOT. The closure is in effect from Milepost 55 (9 miles west of the summit) and at Coles Corner, which is about 14 miles west of Leavenworth.
WSDOT maintains an active traffic impact map on their website.
7:34 a.m.: Dozens of flights are delayed, canceled
For the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, travelers continue to see impacts from the storm system, following a ground delay at SEA on Friday.
By Saturday morning, delays into or out of the airport racked up to 90, while 55 flights were canceled, according to FlightAware.
Police in North Bend, Washington assist traffic as snow impacts travel conditions heading into the weekend
7:20 a.m.: Thousands across Puget Sound region without power
Following a day of rain, snow, wind and ice on Friday, there are still thousands of homes and businesses without power.
As of 7 a.m., Puget Sound Energy reported more than 18,000 customers without power from more than 300 active outages in western Washington. For Seattle City Light, about 40 customers are without power on Saturday morning.
By noon, the number of customers experiencing outages with PSE dropped to just under 8,800.
7 a.m.: Snoqualmie Pass remains shut down
Between North Bend and Cle Elum, I-90 remains closed to traffic as crews work to clear snow and rock slide from the end-of-week winter storm system.
The Source: Information in this story comes from original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle and various local officials.