WSDOT prepared for heavy snow, traffic Sunday

SNOQUALMIE PASS, Wash. — With a winter storm warning in effect, WSDOT deployed crews along Interstate 90 to keep the roadway clear in advance of a busy travel day along the pass.

"Mindset to me is Sunday -- a lot of traffic, home Seahawks game, we want to get everyone over there to it,” said Jason Pratt, WSDOT maintenance supervisor.

The National Weather Service also issued a tornado warning in Central Pacific and NW Wahkiakum Counties until 9:45 a.m. Sunday morning. That covered Long Beach and Ilwaco.

On Saturday, I-90 was shut down in both directions for several hours due to spinoffs and collisions.

It re-opened Saturday afternoon and plows worked through the night to clear the interstate in both directions.

Eleven plows were out Saturday night, with more expected Sunday along I-90.

Thousands of motorists are expected to travel Sunday along the pass.

"Everybody needs to be prepared with a full tank of fuel, studded snow tires, their chains ready to go -- and be ready to install them," said Pratt.

Snow came down heavily on Sunday morning, continuing the weekend's transportation difficulties throughout Washington's mountain passes.

For the third straight day, Sunday spin-outs on Interstate 90 in both directions near Snoqualmie Pass shut down portions of the freeway and stranded drivers.

KIRO 7 was there when I-90 at Denny Creek reopened and a slew of snowplows headed eastbound toward vehicles lodged in snowdrifts along the shoulder and just off the West Summit exit.

It looked a lot like Saturday; KIRO 7 ran into a Kennewick man who was trying to make a morning flight at SeaTac, but the wheels of his Mustang just spun hopelessly in the rest-stop parking lot.

"I stop because I can't drive. I can't anymore.  My car is slipping too much,” he said.

The ones who managed to make it through the pass knew they'd better keep going before more snowfall made that impossible.

"Oh yeah - I'm not sticking around here for too long,” said Sunny McNeely, who was driving back to Lakewood from eastern Washington.

For some modes of transportation, the snow helped.

KIRO 7 ran into a group of guys in The Summit resort parking lot that wasn’t waiting for the chairlifts to open; they strapped on their skis and hiked the mountain.

Historically, The Summit at Snoqualmie doesn't open until at least December 4^th, but the resort said it could be more like Thanksgiving this year if they reach the two and half foot snow base in the next few days.

"It might be a good year.  The forecast was for a bad year -- an El Niño year -- but it hasn't happened, could be good,” said Aaron Donahoe, one of the skiers.

Mission Ridge near Wenatchee opened this weekend; Stevens Pass is shooting for Thanksgiving.

KIRO