Snow piling up on passes; travel slow but steady



SNOQUALMIE PASS -- All of Monday's rain in the lowlands meansa lot of snow in the mountains.

At Snoqualmie Pass, there is compact snow and ice on the roadways, and traction tires are advised on Interstate 90.

For big rigs, chains are the only way to go for mountain travel. Most of the trucks chained up early and lined the shoulder about 10 miles from the summit.

“We’re already almost in the middle of February and this is only the third time chaining,” said trucker Mike Pitcher.

And for those who don’t think chains are important, the Washington State Patrol sits at the ready looking out for drivers who don’t follow the rules.

If you drive an all-wheel-drive vehicle, you can for now forgo the chains.

Cars and trucks cued up while road crews closed portions of westbound I-90 early Monday afternoon for avalanche control for about an hour.

Low visibility could be the theme at the mountain passes, as more storms are lining up through the rest of the week.