Light pre-Thanksgiving snow blankets Spokane area; mountain passes passable

Light snow blanketed the Spokane area Wednesday morning, although it yielded far fewer traffic collisions than expected.

Snow began falling in the Spokane area Tuesday just before midnight and carried over into Wednesday. Most of the snow on the road had melted by the morning, but slushy conditions over some roadways were still apparent, said Washington State Patrol Sgt. Greg Riddell.

According to National Weather Service meteorologist Valerie Thaylor, parts of Airway Heights and the Five Mile area up north got more than an inch of snow. The Spokane International Airport saw around 0.8 inches.

Downtown Spokane got around 0.3 inches. It all depended on the elevation, she said.

Often, WSP expects more crashes or slide-offs with the first snow, Riddell said. That was not the case Wednesday. Riddell said WSP has responded to four crashes Wednesday morning, with one being a slide-off due to slushy roads and another collision on the on-ramp to Interstate 90 near Division Street.

“I think people were not at work today, or were prepared for this weather,” he added.

Temperatures are expected to warm the next few days with bouts of rain, but travelers heading home after the Thanksgiving holiday likely will see drier conditions through the weekend.

Meanwhile, Snoqualmie Pass on Interstate 90 had no travel restrictions Wednesday morning, the Washington State Department of Transportation reported. Rain was failing and pavement was “bare and wet.” Traction tires were being advised for motorists on Stevens Pass on U.S. Highway 2, and oversized trucks were prohibited. Conditions were listed as “snow, slush and ice in places.”

The Montana Department of Transportation also reported that Lookout Pass on I-90 at the Idaho border had wet pavement.