Travelers crossing the Cascade Mountains of Washington and the Blue Mountains of Oregon are facing challenging conditions, despite the mid-March calendar date. A winter storm warning has been issued by the National Weather Service for Snoqualmie Pass on Interstate 90, effective from 5 a.m. Saturday to 11 a.m. Sunday.
The warning comes after a difficult Thursday night, when I-90 was closed in both directions from North Bend to Ellensburg due to crashes and vehicles blocking the roadway. The closure, which began around 5:30 p.m., was eventually lifted, with eastbound lanes reopening around 9 p.m. and westbound lanes around 11:30 p.m.
However, the challenges continued on Friday, with the eastbound right lane on I-90 closed at Ellensburg due to a crash around 5 p.m. The weather service forecast an additional 1 to 3 inches of new snow on Friday night, ahead of a more significant snowfall event on Saturday.
Saturday’s forecast calls for 5 to 9 inches of snow during the day, followed by an additional 3 to 5 inches at night. The weather service is advising travelers to delay their trips over the Cascade Mountains or to be prepared with essential items such as tire chains, booster cables, a flashlight, a shovel, blankets, and water.
The snowfall is expected to continue through Tuesday, with rain and snow forecast through Friday. Travelers heading east from the Tri-Cities on Interstate 84 through the Blue Mountains of Oregon should also be prepared for snow, as a winter storm advisory has been issued for the Blue Mountain summit near Meacham, Ore.
The same storm system bringing snow to the mountains is expected to bring wind and rain to the Tri-Cities. The chance of rain on Saturday is forecast at 40%, increasing to 60% on Sunday. Wind gusts of up to 39 mph are expected on Saturday, decreasing to 23 mph on Sunday.
