Date:
Friday, April 11, 2008
Contact:
Meagan McFadden, WSDOT Communications, (509) 654-0697
SNOQUALMIE PASS – It may feel like spring in the mountains today, but winter is still lingering around. In the last two weeks, I-90 Snoqualmie Pass has received about five feet of fresh snow, add that to a forecast predicting warm temperatures this weekend, and you get conditions ideal for natural avalanches.
“Our goal is to take care of the danger of natural avalanches today so we don’t have to impact traffic this weekend,” said John Stimberis, WSDOT Avalanche Forecaster. “However, depending on the conditions on the pass, we may have to do more control work tomorrow and Sunday.”
The first round of control work started at 11:30 a.m. Drivers traveling westbound will experience rolling slow downs starting at milepost 56, four miles east of the summit, and then will be stopped at milepost 52. Depending on how much snow and debris control work brings down, drivers may be delayed for up to an hour or more.
The second round of control work will begin later this afternoon in the eastbound lanes. Drivers will be stopped near milepost 47 at Denny Creek.
Currently, avalanche control work is not expected for Stevens Pass.
To find out the latest information about mountain pass closures visit: www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/passes/
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