Travel troubles at Snoqualmie
Crews clear I-90 at the snowshed in 2012. Heavy snowfall this year has triggered an unusual number of pass closures.
SNOQUALMIE PASS — East-west travel troubles in Washington have ramped back up at I-90’s Snoqualmie Pass thanks to the nearly 40 inches of new snow that has fallen at the pass in the last week.
The pass closed to travelers early Thursday morning from North Bend to Ellensburg due to avalanche danger. At press time yesterday, Snoqualmie Pass was still closed.
Heavy snowfall this winter has translated into far more pass closures due to vehicle collisions than any of the past four winters, according to Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) information. The volume of collision-related closures at Snoqualmie Pass this year outweighs those for the past three years combined.
So far this year, the WSDOT reports close to 100 collision closures on I-90 at Snoqualmie pass (combined total for east and west lanes). Department of Transportation information shows no more than 50 collision closures in any of the past four years. Last year, only about 20 collision closures were reported, along with just more than 10 in 2013-14. In the last three winters combined, there have been about 70 closures related to collisions.
The pass has also experienced about 30 avalanche-related closures this winter.
Nearing the end of January, the cumulative snowfall at Snoqualmie — 284 inches at press time — is quickly approaching the 293 inches that fell in 2013-14. Just 104 inches of snow fell at the pass last winter.
The five-year average snowfall at Snoqualmie is 358 inches, according to the WSDOT. December 2015 marked the snowiest December in Snoqualmie’s recorded history, with 194 inches — more than 16 feet — of snow falling at the pass.
The WSDOT has closed the pass intermittently over the past week for avalanche control work, car accidents, and a small snow slide.
Drivers hoping to cross the Cascades were encouraged to make other plans Thursday because of “significant avalanche danger,” according to a WSDOT blog. The avalanche danger extended north to US 2, as well. The highway was closed east of Stevens Pass, between Tumwater Canyon and Coles Corner, due to high avalanche danger.
The WSDOT reported a detour was set up via the Chumstick Highway for all traffic except vehicles over 10,000 pounds (gross vehicle weight).
Recent travel delays started Sunday, with a closure of several hours in both directions on I-90 at Snoqualmie for avalanche work. Other restrictions have been placed for travelers using the pass over the course of the week, including requirements for the use of chains (except vehicles with all-wheel drive).
The 39 inches of fresh snow that fell between last Friday and yesterday brought the 2015-16 winter total at the pass to 284 inches and counting. The snowpack depth at Snoqualmie was 98 inches (8.2 feet) yesterday, according to the WSDOT.
At press time Thursday, forecasters were calling for more snow and rain at the pass through the night and into Friday. The National Weather Service (NWS) predicted between 3 and 8 inches of new snow in the Cascades during the day yesterday, with high avalanche danger at all elevations.
Conditions at Snoqualmie Pass created a “dangerous recipe for avalanches” Thursday, according to the Department of Transportation. According to WSDOT information, the pass received a significant amount of snow overnight Wednesday into Thursday — about 12 inches — and snow continued to fall Thursday. The snow was wet and heavy, and the freezing level was expected to rise significantly, creating warmer conditions on the pass. That blend of conditions marked a perfect storm of sorts for avalanche danger.