By Pepper Fisher

OLYMPIA – WSDOT Thursday morning announced that extreme weather has created conditions so hazardous that it’s too dangerous for their crews to be in the Cascade Mountain pass areas. Because of that, Snoqualime, Stevens, White & Blewett passes will not reopen until at least Friday & possibly not until Saturday.

Additionally, the two other east-west routes – SR 14 and Oregon’s I-84, which run through the Columbia River Gorge – are closed to freight traffic, with I-84 being closed to all vehicles, meaning there are few alternatives for reliable cross-state traffic today.

WSDOT’s Barbara LaBoe says record snowfall in the Cascades has created very difficult conditions for their people to work in.

‘Overnight Wednesday into Thursday, there was a very strong storm that came through that had significant snowfall on the passes and into Eastern Washington as well. So we are recommending and telling people not to try to do cross-state travel Thursday and really not to expect to try to do that Friday, either. We are hopeful that Friday, we might be able to get crews in to assess the conditions. Even after that assessment is done, then we have… then if it’s safe, we have to send the crews in to start clearing the snow and the trees and the debris and, you know, dealing with clogged catch basins. So right now, our best estimate is, the passes are likely closed until Saturday.”

The current conditions on the passes include very heavy snowfall, near-zero visibility and falling debris like trees onto the highway. Once the snowfall lets up, the forecast calls for heavy rain, including freezing rain, which will increase avalanche danger.

LaBoe reminds travelers that even when cross-state travel is again possible, drivers should take to the roads prepared for extreme winter conditions.