Weary Travelers Fly Away, Make Most Of Cleared Passes

Clearing skies allowed travel conditions across the state to improve briefly Saturday before another storm was scheduled to hit.

In Spokane, sunshine glistened off pavement beginning to show through on several main streets that have been white with snow for several days. Other parts of the state also reported partly cloudy skies.

The reprieve gave road crews time enough to clear highways across Washington’s Cascades and reopen them.

That news was long overdue to passengers at Spokane’s Greyhound bus station, many of whom waited four days for the weather to break.

“I had over 100 people waiting for me” when the station opened at 8 a.m. Saturday, said Martin Grey, customer service supervisor.

Five buses left for Seattle first thing Saturday, Grey said.

Air travel around the Northwest also was running a little more smoothly. Travelers stranded at Spokane International Airport for two days were finally able to board planes heading west.

“People were getting out to Portland and Seattle,” said Todd Woodard, airport spokesman. “It’s pretty much back to normal.”

Interstate 90 at Snoqualmie Pass, closed by heavy snow Thursday and Friday, reopened about 4:30 Saturday morning, the Washington State Patrol reported. Stevens Pass on U.S. Highway 2 also was open - to cars with chains.

Compact snow and ice still covered both roadways, the Washington Department of Transportation said. Motorists on Snoqualmie Pass were advised to use traction devices.

However, heavy snow was predicted to fall in the mountains today. A depth estimate was not available.

“They don’t have a ruler deep enough to measure it, I guess,” joked Lyle Hammer, a National Weather Service meteorologist.

Snow was falling on Idaho’s Lookout Pass, icing up that portion of Interstate 90 late Saturday.

Forecasters also said clouds that rolled into the Spokane area late Saturday would begin dumping snow overnight. Accumulations of up to 8 inches were expected by this afternoon.

Temperatures were expected to reach the mid-20s.

, DataTimes