MYNORTHWEST NEWS

WSDOT: People abandoning cars due to heavy snow

Jan 11, 2017, 9:41 AM | Updated: 11:15 am

snow, weather...

While Seattle remains relatively dry, southwest Washington and northern Oregon have been hit with snow all morning. (NWS)

(NWS)

Cities south of Seattle are getting walloped by a snow storm that has forced people to abandon their vehicles.

Crews from the Washington State Department of Transportation have been clearing roads of snow and downed trees all morning.

In Vancouver, WSDOT reports there have been “several” abandoned vehicles along highways.

Things are even worse in Portland, where the Oregon Department of Transportation announced that chains are required on all vehicles on state roads.

Interstate 5 north of the Highway 217 interchange is jammed with semis and cars spinning out and blocking the freeway,” The Oregonian reports. “Currently, Interstate 205 is a better alternative to Portland or into Washington State.

An image from NASA shows just how hard Oregon is being hit.

The National Weather Service issued a Winter Weather Advisory that expires at 10 a.m. Snow accumulation of up to 2 inches is possible this morning in the southwest interior of Washington. Snow showers will taper off to flurries.

Meanwhile, it remains relatively dry around Seattle, which was forecasted to receive a small amount of snow earlier this week.

MyNorthwest News

town hall seattle wedding...

KIRO Newsradio staff

Judge dismisses double-murder case against man accused of Seattle ax attacks

A King County judge dismissed the double-murder case against Liam Kryger Thursday.

9 hours ago

search for 19-year-old lake washington...

MyNorthwest Staff

Body of 19-year-old who went missing on Lake Washington recovered

The body of a 19-year-old man who went missing on Lake Washington was recovered Thursday.

10 hours ago

20 cats AirTag stolen vehicle Tacoma Truck...

Frank Lenzi

Deputies find 20 cats in stolen truck after AirTag tracks down vehicle in Tacoma

An AirTag led Pierce County Sheriff's Deputies to a stolen truck — and 20 cats — in Tacoma this week.

10 hours ago

Woodland park zoo sloth...

KIRO 7 News Staff

Woodland Park Zoo welcomes second sloth, hopes pair will ‘hang out’ soon

A 26-year-old female Hoffmann’s two-toed sloth named Jessie has arrived at Woodland Park Zoo as part of a national breeding program.

12 hours ago

tsunami...

Frank Lenzi

Alaska earthquake could send 20-foot tsunami waves to Washington coast in just 3.5 hours, new study warns

A new study from the Washington Geological Survey finds tsunami activity could last 24 hours or more, and the first wave might not be the biggest.

12 hours ago

kiro newsradio national edward r. murrow award...

Frank Lenzi

KIRO Newsradio wins 2026 National Edward R. Murrow Award for Breaking News Coverage

KIRO Newsradio 97.3 FM has won a 2026 National Edward R. Murrow Award for breaking news coverage of its reporting on the Seattle ICE protests that turned violent.

14 hours ago

WSDOT: People abandoning cars due to heavy snow