SEATTLE - It's March madness in the mountains!
A winter storm warning is in effect for the Olympics and the west slopes of the North and Central Cascades until 6 a.m. Friday, and an avalanche warning through Friday morning.
A snow storm in the mountains is creating treacherous driving conditions at the passes. Road crews are on high alert and if conditions worsen, the state may shut down I-90 for avalanche control work during the night.
But so far, most drivers are making it over the pass without any problems.
More than a foot of snow is expected to fall through Friday morning on the passes, and that has drivers making a lot of adjustments.
Snoqualmie Pass, which has avoided many of the weekly blasts it got last winter, is making up for it now. Six to 16 inches of fresh snow is expected in the higher elevations overnight.
Wet and heavy snow came down hard and fast Thursday morning, covering Interstate 90 at the top of Snoqualmie Pass and causing traction and visibility problems. Drivers were warned: If you're on it, you need four-wheel drive or chains. For big-wheel truck drivers, it was chains.
"It's pretty common really for what goes on here. Just wait for a little while and it will change," said driver Craig Robienett.
Standard, yes. This type of snowfall is not out of the ordinary in March, but what can mess it all up is one car accident.
Eastbound lanes of I-90 were closed for about an hour this morning because of spinouts and heavy snow. Delay signs flashed after a car spun out of control, then flipped over onto the side of the interstate. Luckily no one was hurt. It was just one of a few car accidents that happened on I-90.
The sides of I-90 are covered with trucks forced to chain up for the top 10 miles of the summit where the snow is heaviest.
"I came over this morning about 4 a.m. and it was snowing like crazy, but it was good enough driving conditions - just slow down and be careful coming up here. It was raining. I was hoping it would be snow. I hate chaining in the rain," said Dennis Herrin, driver.
Washington State Department of Transportation snow plows are in a holding pattern, clearing the slushy snow between east and westbound I-90.
State Patrol troopers monitoring the traffic say it is moving much more smoothly now, but know drivers could be in for a long afternoon and evening. Anyone planning to travel over any of the Cascade Mountain passes tonight should be prepared for traction requirements and winter driving conditions.
Anyone planning to travel over any of the Cascade Mountain passes tonight should be prepared for traction requirements and winter driving conditions.
For the lowlands, residents will see mainly heavy rain, which will continue through the morning.
KING 5's Roberta Romero, Gary Chittim, Jim Forman and Karin Czulik contributed to this report.
