Date:  Friday, December 12, 2008

Contact: Public Inquiries: Call 5-1-1 or 1-800-695-ROAD.

The following numbers are for media only:
Alice Fiman, WSDOT Communications, 360-705-7080 (Olympia)
Sean McDermott, WSDOT Communications, 206-440-4788 (Seattle)
Mike Westbay, WSDOT Communications, 509-728-4712 (Snoqualmie Pass)
Lisa Murdock, WSDOT Communications, 360-357-2789 (Pierce County and Olympic Peninsula)
Melanie Coon, WSDOT Communications, 360-507-4242 (Southwest Washington)

OLYMPIA – A blast of winter weather should hit the mountains hard through the night, while drivers and road crews may face a tough challenge Saturday.

Weather forecasts indicate winter will spare Friday’s commuter the worst of it, but those travelling over mountain pass highways should be prepared for whiteout conditions.

WSDOT remains concerned about a forecast of overnight rain followed by a freeze late Saturday morning, with snow coming into most of Washington later Saturday afternoon. This weather pattern can be challenging and drivers should prepare for icy roads throughout the state.

Areas of concern for Friday night include all mountain pass highways, with a prediction of close to two feet of snow on US 12 White Pass and more than a foot on both I-90 Snoqualmie and US 2 Stevens passes. Just before 1:30 p.m. today, WSDOT maintenance crews closed all westbound lanes of I-90 at the Easton Interchange (milepost 70), due to spun out vehicles blocking all lanes. Crews cleared and plowed the road and reopened I-90 by 2:40 p.m.

Snowfall is likely this evening and through the weekend in Everett, though Skagit and Whatcom counties and higher elevations in Southwest Washington. Along the Hood Canal and north coast, winds remain a big issue, with areas of US 101 closed this afternoon due to debris on the highway.

On Saturday, the concerns turn to black ice and then snow across much of the state.

“Typically, it gets warmer as the day goes on. However, that’s not the case with this forecast. A freeze and snow following a rain storm is the most difficult weather system for road crews and could be dangerous for drivers,” said WSDOT Secretary Paula Hammond. “The rain just washes away anti-icer, limiting our ability to treat the roads ahead of the coldest temperatures. We will be out doing what we can, but we can’t treat the roads until the rain stops.”

Chris Christopher, State Maintenance Engineer, said WSDOT crews are watching weather reports very closely. Once the rain stops, those crews will be ready to put out ice-fighting materials such as liquid de-icers, salt and sand.

“We watch statewide forecasts closely and still expect significant snow in the mountain pass highway areas combined with wind across much of Eastern Washington,” said Christopher.

Forecasts indicate the pockets of snow could continue throughout the state through Sunday, with Southwest Washington feeling winter’s first visit through Tuesday.

Drivers who are ready for the weather and drive safely help WSDOT and themselves. One spin-out can block traffic for hours and cause additional incidents. And, clearing incidents can also take our crews away from road-clearing activities.

Here’s what drivers can do:

• On ice and snow, take it slow.
• Give yourself extra time to reach your destination safely. It's not worth putting yourself and others in a dangerous situation just to save time.
• Slow down when approaching intersections, off-ramps, bridges or shady spots. These all have potential to develop black ice that makes driving hazardous.
• Plan extra time to cross all mountain passes, including heavily-traveled routes such as I-90 Snoqualmie Pass, US 2 Stevens Pass, and US 12 White Pass.
• Carry chains and know the traction and chain requirements - Mountain pass traction and chain requirements are available on highway advisory signs and highway advisory radio. When those advisories call for chains, drivers who don't chain up will face a $500 penalty.

Know Before you go:

• Get information from our Web site at http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ before you leave your home or office.
• 511 - This driver information phone line provides real-time traffic, incident and closure information. TTY users can call 1-800-833-6388.
• Sign up for news. WSDOT offers subscribers more than 25 specialized e-mail alerts, including news and information for freight haulers, construction related traffic revisions, project updates from all around the state, and timely updates on pass conditions. Visit www.wsdot.wa.gov and click the link for “E-mail updates.”
• Twitter users can add WSDOT to their personal accounts at: www.wsdot.wa.gov/news/. Go to www.wsdot.wa.gov/inform/twitter for more details.

On the Road:

• Overhead and roadside electronic signs
• Highway advisory radio - WSDOT advises drivers to program 530AM and 1610AM on your radio.

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WSDOT keeps people, businesses and the economy moving by operating and improving the state's transportation systems. To learn more about what we're doing, go to www.wsdot.wa.gov/news for pictures, videos, news and blogs. Real time traffic information is available at www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic or by dialing 5-1-1.

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