Heavy snowfall bad for drivers, good for skiers at Snoqualmie Pass

SNOQUALMIE PASS, Wash. - Snoqualmie Pass received more than a foot of new snow in 24 hours with more on the way.

The first avalanche control work of the season closed down I-90 just east of Snoqualmie Summit Thursday as crews dealt with more than 10 inches of snow that fell overnight and into the morning.

The highway was closed for about 15 minutes until crews completed their mitigation, said the Washington State Department of Transportation.

Earlier in the day, plow crews showed up at 6:30 a.m. to begin clearing the roads and highways.

"Our [lane] shoulders are getting filled up with all the snow that we've pushed over on them," said Allen Minerich, WSDOT maintenance superintendent. "So they'll be out blowing snow all night, making room for all the new snow we get on Friday."