After a short break from the rain, a bigger and more unsettled weather system is headed for the Seattle area. Starting Friday night, strong winds and drenching rain are expected in the lowlands.
The National Weather Service of Seattle said that in the mountains, snow is expected in feet, not inches, so plan accordingly.
Chains are required for traveling over the passes, except for four- or all-wheel drive vehicles, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation.
On Thursday, eastbound lanes of I-90 were closed shortly after 1 p.m. near North Bend after multiple collisions. Lanes reopened at about 3 p.m.
WSDOT said on Twitter shortly before 9:30 a.m. Thursday that eastbound I-90 was closed just west of the Snoqualmie Pass summit because of spun-out vehicles and heavy snowfall. Lanes reopened about an hour later.
A section of Snoqualmie Pass had to be closed on Wednesday afternoon to clear the multiple vehicles that had spun out because they didn’t have chains, according to WSDOT. It was then closed again to allow crews to break up snow and ice.
“The culprits are semitrucks not chaining up and those driving too fast because they have a false sense of security,” WSDOT said on Twitter.
A winter weather advisory, in effect until 10 p.m. Thursday, was issued by the National Weather Service for areas above 2,000 feet in the Cascades in King and Snohomish counties.
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