I-90 closed over Snoqualmie Pass due to snow slides, falling rocks and trees



SEATTLE – We’re getting a break from the snow and the freezing cold, but it comes with a price -- especially in the mountains.

Snoqualmie Pass was closed as of 7:00 a.m. Wednesday due to falling trees and rocks, and numerous snow slides. Traffic officials said westbound traffic is closed at milepost 106 near Ellensburg. Eastbound is closed near North Bend.

WSDOT said both directions would remain closed until crews could assess the conditions during daylight.



Trooper said they responded to 67 collisions overnight.



Heavy winds and rain will likely lead to flooding and power outages in various parts of Western Washington into Wednesday morning, Q13 News meteorologist Walter Kelley said.

“A nasty night with tons of rain, wind, mountain ice and river flooding,” Kelley said. “Very wet for all of us.

“Most places will pick up an inch of rain tonight, with much more for the mountains. It’s going to be a wild night for Western Washington.”

Kelly said the Skokomish and Nooksack rivers will flood, and urban flooding could be a problem for the commute Wednesday morning.

Winds could reach 30 mph in the Seattle area. Kelley said the strongest winds will hit in the early morning hours Wednesday.



Some areas on the coast could see up to 5 inches of rain, and the mountain passes will face increased danger of avalanches.

And in the lowlands, this system is expected to dump the most rain on Western Washington since October.

In Central and Eastern Washington, an ice storm caused havoc on the roads and shut down Spokane Airport, at least temporarily.