Heavy snow forecast for I-90 at pass, bring chains. Windy, rainy weekend for Tri-Cities
The calendar may say mid-March, but travelers across the Cascade Mountains of Washington and the Blue Mountains of Oregon still are having a tough time.
The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for Snoqualmie Pass on Interstate 90 from 5 a.m. Saturday to 11 a.m. Sunday.
But cars and trucks were already struggling Thursday night.
I-90 closed eastbound lines five miles west of the summit about 5:30 p.m. Thursday and within an hour expanded the closure to include traffic in both directions from North Bend to Ellensburg due to crashes and cars and trucks blocking the roadway.
Tow trucks large enough to remove crashed semi trucks were called in. Eastbound lanes were opened around 9 p.m. and westbound lanes about 11:30 p.m., according to social media posts by the Washington state Department of Transportation.
At about 5 p.m. Friday the eastbound right lane on I-90 was closed at Ellensburg due to a crash.
On Friday night another 1 to 3 inches of new snow was forecast by the weather service, a prelude to the 5 to 9 inches of snow forecast for Saturday during the day and 3 to 5 inches that night.
The weather service recommended that people delay travel over the Cascade Mountains or at least be sure to pack tire chains, booster cables, a flashlight, a shovel, blankets and water.
More snow is forecast at Snoqualmie Pass through Tuesday with rain and snow then forecast through Friday.
Travelers heading east from the Tri-Cities on Interstate 84 through the Blue Mountains of Oregon also should be prepared for snow.
A winter storm advisory was issued from late Friday night through 11 p.m. Saturday at the Blue Mountain summit near Meacham, Ore., about 30 miles east of Pendleton.
The forecast for the rest of the week through Friday calls for snow or a combination of rain and snow, sometimes in a freezing mix.
The same storm system bringing snow this weekend to Washington and Oregon mountains is forecast to bring wind and rain to the Tri-Cities.
The chance of rain Saturday is forecast at 40% and 60% on Sunday.
Wind gusts of up to 39 mph were forecast for Saturday, decreasing to 23 mph on Sunday.
This story was originally published March 14, 2025 at 5:29 PM.