Surprise Snow, Strong Winds Hit Snoqualmie Valley on Thursday

Right in stride with tricky Puget Sound area snow weather forecasting, it wasn’t predicted, but snow was falling across some areas of the Snoqualmie Valley Thursday morning, December 17, 2015.

Oh, and it was accompanied by a pretty substantial wind event, too. The easterly gap winds were howling and pulling in colder air from Eastern Washington, which is colliding with a warm front rolling in off the Pacific.

One Snoqualmie resident described it a being inside a snow globe, with howling wind and blowing snow.

The result is a mix of blustery, blowing [sideways] snow/ice pellets/rain blanketing the Snoqualmie Valley.  And up at Snoqualmie Pass… well, things are pretty messy, with wind and heavy snow.  The Washington State Patrol is urging drivers to slow down.

On Westbound I-90, just west of Snoqualmie Pass, a semi truck crashed, with the cab landing upside down and quite damaged. Luckily, KOMO News reported their were no injuries.

Semi crash at Snoqualmie Pass, Thursday morning, 12/17/15. Photo: Twitter - Theron Zohn
Semi crash at Snoqualmie Pass, Thursday morning, 12/17/15. Photo: Twitter – Theron Zohn

 

Up to two feet of new snow is possible at the pass by Friday afternoon – which should make skiers and snow boarders happy Screen Shot 2015-12-17 at 9.39.57 AMwhen the wind calms down.  A winter storm warning was issued for Snoqualmie Pass and runs through Friday.

Thursday morning, I-90 was covered with snow and chains were required, with oversized vehicles prohibited, according to a WSDOT report.

The National Weather Service says the windy conditions could last through Friday, with the strongest gusts occurring this afternoon. They said the snow level that was at 1,000 feet on Thursday morning would raise to 2,000 feet by the afternoon, though.  That means the snow should switch to rain in higher elevations of the Valley later today.

King 5 Weather Forecaster, Rich Marriott, warned that freezing rain is also a possibility for areas near North Bend Thursday afternoon as the freezing level rises.

Hello, Winter…. we missed you last year!

Snow in Wilderness Rim near North Bend, 12/17/15. Photo: Kathy Hyland
Snow in Wilderness Rim near North Bend, 12/17/15. Photo: Kathy Hyland

 

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