STEVENS PASS — More snow is expected today on Stevens Pass after an unusually early storm dropped as much as 5 inches on parts of the west slopes of the North Cascades, according to the National Weather Service.
About 2 inches of new snow was expected to fall today, with snow levels dropping as low as 3,500 feet, weather service meteorologist Dennis D’Amico said.
“It’s a couple weeks early,” he said.
On Wednesday, about 4 inches of snow was reported at Stevens Pass ski area. Up to 10 inches was expected to fall at Glacier Peak, the county’s tallest mountain.
At the ski area, people occasionally parked their vehicles to look over the snow-covered hills. One man threw a snowball at his friend.
From another vehicle, a young woman got out and took a picture of the scenery using her cell phone camera.
No accidents were reported over the mountain pass, Washington State Patrol trooper Kirk Rudeen said. The roadway was warm enough that snow turned into slush instead of ice, allowing for safe but slow driving, he said.
Still, anyone who heads over the mountains should plan to be driving in winter conditions, Rudeen said.
“Conditions up there can change on a daily and hourly basis,” he said.
In the lowlands of Snohomish County, the weather service is predicting rain today, with the weather clearing up to be partly sunny by Friday.
Then, the rain is expected to return Saturday and last into next week. Daytime temperatures are expected to remain in the upper 50s, with nighttime temperatures in the upper 40s.
No new snow in the mountains is forecast through the weekend, D’Amico said.
Reporter Scott Pesznecker: 425-339-3436 or spesznecker@heraldnet.com.
@2. Breakout Header:Snow driving tips
n Drive slowly. Speed limits are set for optimal driving conditions.
n Increase your following distance. It takes a long time to stop when driving on snow — even in an SUV.
n Take a flat route, even if it takes much longer to get where you’re going.
n Stay with your vehicle if you get stuck or have an accident. Your car offers protection from other vehicles and is your best way to stay warm until help arrives. It’s also easier to find you.
Source: Washington State Patrol
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