20 inches of snow in October? WSDOT closed passes Thursday due to the forecast
Heavy snow in the forecast for the Cascades means crews will close Chinook Pass and Cayuse Pass on state Route 410 and state Route 123, the Washington State Department of Transportation said in a news release Thursday.
The agency said the forecast calls for 20 inches of snow over 24 hours.
The National Weather Service in Seattle posted on X Thursday: “A weather system will continue to impact the area through Friday. Rain will spread northward, becoming steadier later today into tonight in the lowlands. Mountain snow will increase tonight, with the heaviest snowfall amounts through Friday night around Mount Rainier.”
Chinook Pass is at 5,430 feet and Cayuse Pass is at 4,675 feet.
“The Washington State Department of Transportation made the decision to temporarily close both passes for the safety of maintenance crews and travelers amid worsening road conditions and a heightened risk of avalanches,” the news release said.
Crews were set to close the gates at 12:30 p.m. Thursday from Crystal Mountain Boulevard to Morse Creek. They’ll decide Monday whether to reopen the passes.
WSDOT posts updates about mountain pass conditions online.
This story was originally published October 31, 2024 at 6:44 PM with the headline "20 inches of snow in October? WSDOT closed passes Thursday due to the forecast."
