Heavy surprise snow closes Snoqualmie Parkway Mondy evening, brings traffic to halt

UPDATE | FEBRUARY 27TH, 8:30PM

Snoqualmie Parkway is open now in both directions between I-90 and SR 202. Snow plows continue to work and police officers are directing traffic. WB SR 18 is closed to clear spinouts and accidents, but eastbound SR 18 has reopened.


UPDATE | FEBRUARY 27TH, 7:40PM

Snoqualmie Parkway is reopened between SR 202 and Swenson Drive SE. Closed from Swenson Drive to I-90. SR 18 is still closed in both direction over Tiger Mt. Exit 25 is extremely backed up, as is I-90 in the area. City officials say to avoid exit 25 area.


UPDATE | FEBRUARY 27TH, 7:15PM

The City of Snoqualmie says plows cannot access Snoqualmie Pkwy between and Douglas and I-90 due to abandoned cars. They ask drivers stay off the Parkway even if have four-wheel drive. Both directions of SR 18 at the Tiger Mt. summit were also closed due to spinouts.


UPDATE | FEBRUARY 27TH, 6:30PM

The City of Snoqualmie has asked drivers to stay off Snoqualmie Parkway. Snow plows were having trouble accessing the Parkway through all the cars, but finally made it. Plowing was difficult while trying to get around all the cars on the Parkway, though.

The City said the YMCA would be open as a shelter until 10PM and City Hall would be open as well until 9PM.

Current weather radar shows the convergence zone still aimed at the Snoqualmie Valley and stretching west toward Seattle. Temperatures were right around freezing and forecast to stay in the low 30’s overnight.

Traffic out of Seattle and heading east was already difficult all afternoon due to a multi-hour afternoon closure of I-5 in downtown Seattle due to an overturned propane tanker truck. Some readers have reported being stuck in traffic for 1-2 hours trying to get home to the Snoqualmie Valley area.

Weather radar at 6:25PM, 2/27/17.

ORIGINAL STORY 

A strong convergence zone started dropping snow over the Snoqualmie Valley around 4:30PM and quickly made a mess of local roads, along with I-90. By 5:30PM the snow had lightened up a bit, but had quickly left a couple of  inches coating the area.

Readers reported multiple spinouts and accidents in the I-90/SR 18 interchange area.  There were also reports of long back ups on Snoqualmie Parkway, with reports that SPD closed the Parkway near the Snoqualmie Fire Station.

City Spokesperson Joan Pliego said snow plows and sanders were out treating roads as soon as the heavy snow started, but as of 6PM she stated the Parkway was shut down in all directions ‘indefinitely’ to allow snow plows to work.

No alternative routes were offered to access the Snoqualmie Ridge area and as of 6:15PM the plows were stuck on SR 202/Railroad Ave behind traffic backups.

Pliego said more information would be released as it becomes available.

The National Weather Service has a Winter Weather Advisory in place for the Snoqualmie Valley until 4AM, February 28th, for 1-3 inches of [possible] additional snow overnight Monday.

Snoqualmie Pkwy closure, 2/27/17

 

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Comments

  • It snows around here some years. There’s a button on that big SUV you’re leasing that will engage the 4 wheel drive… Refer to manual in glove box (its behind that pile of junk you’ve got crammed in there).

  • I was stuck on I-90 in the mess last night. It wasn’t just people who didn’t know about their vehicle’s 4 wheel drive capabilities. Big Rigs were spinning out. Cars, Trucks, Vans. All types. The common factor in everyone who got stuck or who slid off the road was the lack of snow tires. Those with snow tires were the ones who didn’t get stuck and block traffic. And there was no need for studs, standard snow tires were all that was needed. We get snow and ice around here; people should consider snow tires. Those of us with snow tires were the ones driving around you last night…

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