Western Washington Still Battling Snow I-90 Reopened After Avalanche At Pass Closes Freeway For Nearly Eight Hours

The first major avalanche of the season closed Interstate 90 at Snoqualmie Pass for nearly eight hours Tuesday as Washington residents continued to battle the aftermath of winter storms.

The avalanche at 6 a.m. Tuesday was 50 to 60 feet wide and 10 to 15 feet deep and blocked traffic in both directions, state Department of Transportation spokesman Bill Southern reported. The freeway was reopened shortly after 1 p.m.

Warm southerly winds and rain in the lowlands turned snow to slush west of the Cascades on Tuesday. Many schools were closed or late in opening, and scattered power outages were reported.

A winter storm warning was issued for most of Eastern Washington, where temperatures remained cold and 3 to 6 inches of snow were predicted. Freezing rain also was expected to create hazardous driving conditions, mainly in the southern part.

More heavy snow was predicted for the Cascades and Olympics.

The National Weather Service issued a flood warning for urban areas and small streams in southwestern Washington as well as the northern Willamette Valley of Oregon.

In southwestern Washington, where nearly a foot of snow has fallen, five Vancouver streets were still closed by snow and ice Tuesday morning. State Highway 30 was closed briefly after a truck jackknifed in slick conditions on a hill south of Rainier in Cowlitz County.

The Washington State Patrol reported many spin-outs and fender benders causing minor injuries, particularly in Cowlitz and Clark counties.

“The problem is: It’s a little deceptive. The ice is breaking up. But there still are places where there’s compact snow and ice,” Lt. Marty Butler said.

“The worst condition is a layer of ice underneath and a layer of water over that,” he said. “It’s just like ball bearings. Cars just start hydroplaning.”

Some people, however, were lucky.

In Longview, Wash., Heidi Bartness was folding laundry when a 30-foot pine tree was uprooted and fell perfectly - and quietly - between her house and her neighbor’s.

“It couldn’t have landed any better,” she said.