Heavy snow coming to Washington's mountains

by KING 5 News and Associated Press

KING5.com

Posted on December 30, 2011 at 6:48 AM

Updated today at 5:57 PM

Good news for skiers, but maybe not so much for travelers.

Between six to 15 inches has fallen in the mountains the past 24 hours, and forecasters predict a lot more this weekend, which could snarl New Year's travel plans.

"Expect heavy snow showers later this morning and afternoon for challenging driving," said KING 5 Meteorologist Rich Marriott. "Anywhere from eight to 18 inches of additional snow could fall in the next 24 hours."

Crystal Mountain received 16 inches of new snow, Stevens and White passes got 15 inches. Mount Baker and Mission Ridge had eight inches, while six inches of new snow fell at Snoqualmie Pass. Get ski reports

Snow levels were at 3,500 feet Friday morning, but will drop to 2,000 feet by the afternoon. Along with the snow, Marriott also expects some gusty winds and rain at Snoqualmie Pass Friday morning. Read full forecast

"If you're headed across the passes, either go now (early Friday morning) or probably wait until mid morning Saturday if you want to avoid a lot of snow coming down on you as you cross I-90," said Marriott. Check traffic on Washington passes

Washington Department of Transportation crews spent hours plowing and clearing a path through the fresh snow and slush. Snoqualmie Pass is slick and wet, but no restrictions were in place noon Friday.

Traction tires were advised at Stevens Pass, White Pass and Blewett Pass.

Oregon snowpack light so far, Washington doing better

A new snowpack measurement at Oregon's Mount Hood found just 41 inches of snow. That's about 54 percent of average for this time of year.
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U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service hydrologist Jon Lea said Thursday that about 91 inches of snow were measured at the same spot below Timberline Lodge last year.
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Lea tells The Oregonian that this season's snowfall started off robustly but then came a "very, very dry December."
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Across the state, the newspaper says Oregon's snowpack is about 43 percent of average.
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Washington is doing better. While eastern parts of the state are drier than the North Cascades and Central Cascades, overall Washington is at 81 percent of its average snowpack.
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Lea says about 40 percent of the maximum snowpack typically accumulates by Jan. 1 -- so there's plenty of winter left.

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Source: http://www.king5.com/news/Heavy-mountain-snow-to-fall-this-weekend-136427948.html

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