Travel discouraged over Cascades Tuesday night
Dec 27, 2016, 4:17 PM
Snow continues to fall in the passes. (KIRO 7)
(KIRO 7)
If you don’t have to drive across the Cascade Mountains tonight — don’t. Snow will likely make the trip very difficult, and perhaps dangerous.
That’s the message from State Patrol Trooper Kyle Yarbrough as a winter storm continues to dump tons of new snow on the mountain passes.
Related: Could 2017 start with snow in Seattle?
“WSDOT will occasionally close (the freeways over the mountains) for avalanche control, to make sure the pass stays safe to go through,” Yarbrough said. “At any moment anything can change. So you got to have a plan, snacks and appropriate attire for your car when you go up into the mountains.”
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for the passes. Between 2-4 feet of new snow is expected to fall throughout the Cascades by midday Wednesday. The Washington State Department of Transportation expects to close passes at various times.
“On Stevens Pass, there are traction tires advised in both directions,” said Summer Derrey with WSDOT on Tuesday. “We do have compact snow and ice. Crews are doing a good job, and we’ve pulled additional resources to help clear the highways. Today, we did have to close (the freeway) briefly for avalanche control. And we are going to do the same thing tomorrow between 4-6 a.m.
“Road closures, particularly on mountain passes, are a possibility,” she added. “The nature of mountain-pass storms are very unpredictable. It could be yes, or no, depending on whether or not avalanche control is needed unexpectedly. If we have spin-outs in certain areas, that would require a full closure.”
Snow is good for some
Despite the snow, skiers and snowboarders are hitting the slopes for the fresh powder.
“It seems to be a priority for people to make a trip to the mountain this year,” said Guy Lawrence with Summit at Snoqualmie. “We’ve seen good numbers almost every day.
“With the roads today, some people are delaying their trip,” he added. “But they are still trickling in. It’s a good vibe so far.”
Lawrence said Summit crews are working to keep roads and parking lots around the ski area clear.
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