Global Warming Hits Washington With 32 Feet Of Snow And More On The Way
For first time in 11 years, 3 top Cascade passes closed
Snow removal already $4.6 million over budget
Washington’s three major mountain highways all closed Friday because of foul weather and avalanche danger, the first time Snoqualmie, Stevens and White passes have been closed simultaneously in 11 years.
White Pass closed all day. Stevens Pass closed at 10 a.m. Snoqualmie Pass was shut at midday between North Bend and Ellensburg. Snoqualmie and Stevens were not expected to reopen before Saturday. There was no estimate of when White Pass would be passable again.
Just clearing the snow promised to be a challenge: Previously plowed snow created drifts as high as 25 feet to the side of the road. All three highways received nearly 10 inches of new snow Friday and snow was falling 2 inches per hour at one point.
Because of heavy snow and high winds “there’s basically little or no visibility” at White Pass, said Department of Transportation spokeswoman Annie Linstrom.
At Snoqualmie, this season’s snowfall exceeded 390 inches Thursday.
A winter storm warning remained in effect overnight in the Cascades, with accumulations of up to 16 inches of snow expected.
The snowstorms of the past two weeks have taxed resources and snow-removal budgets. Managers of Transportation Department crews clearing Snoqualmie and Stevens said they’re spending more money on snow and ice removal than they expected to at this point in the year.
At Snoqualmie, the state has spent $1.9 million of its $6.1 million two-year snow-removal budget through January. But with two-dozen more people on the crew than normal, it has been spending up to $75,000 a day on the work, three times the normal amount, said regional administrator Don Whitehouse.
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I say send this global warming expense to Al Gore to handle
H/T to SondraK
