A blizzard warning is in effect on Wednesday on the passes in Washington.
The Snoqualmie Pass area saw some flurries on Tuesday afternoon before things picked up in the evening. Roads remained mostly clear, though that’s expected to change in the next 24 hours.
“We’re expecting potential atmospheric river conditions to possibly bring inches or feet of snow by the end of the week,” said Scott Klepach, a spokesperson for the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT).
WSDOT is urging people to be careful as they head through the pass, warning that conditions may be dangerous near the summit even if things seem clear on either end.
“Snoqualmie Pass is always an interesting ecosystem,” Klepach said. “It’s almost like it’s a world of its own. It can come and go with different weather systems.”
The weather is not bad news for everyone, though.
“We’ve been waiting for a good snowfall pretty much all season,” said skier Maurice Young.
Most want to avoid the pass during a blizzard, but Young and his friends headed into the Cascades for exactly that reason. When they heard about the potential winter storm, they booked a house, picked up a pizza, and prepared for the kind of snow that could save their ski season.
“We’ve got an Airbnb until Friday, so we are hoping to ski as much as we can,” he said.
Those headed to the pass must bring snow chains. Drivers without them could face a $200 fine through the end of April.