'Treacherous' roads cleared after early snowfall in western Washington



STEVENS PASS -- It's feeling like winter time up in the passes. Plows were in high gear pushing snow from Tuesday morning until the storm ended after sunset.

Crews say drivers on the roads were not prepared for the rapidly changing conditions. Video from SR-906 showed the storm impacting visibility.

Eleven plow trucks were out working during the storm. Officials said traction tires were required on Stevens and Snoqualmie passes.



Drivers in semi-trucks say the roads were treacherous at times. A WSDOT worker said that the biggest challenges were the rapidly changing conditions and snow squalls that dumped snow right on the highway.

As mesmerizing as the snowfall was, crews working the roads say this kind of weather is messy and dangerous. They're hoping Tuesday's storm will get people prepared for the next snowstorm.

Snoqualmie got a few inches of snow Tuesday, while Stevens Pass got about a foot of fresh powder.

Is all this early snowfall a sign of what's to come? The Farmers Almanac is predicting a colder than normal winter.