Fast-falling snow makes it hazardous on Snoqualmie Pass; 12-18 inches expected

SNOQUALMIE PASS, Wash. -- At first, the snow was pretty -- but as the hours passed, the roadways became a mess Friday night on Snoqualmie Pass.

In a blink of an eye, the rain turned to snow, quickly turning green into white.

"This is my heaven,” Eric Roper said.

In a matter of hours, cars, roofs and parking lots were buried under snow. But it wasn’t enough for some.

“I would like to see enough, at least enough, for the ski hills to get opened up,” Roy Sproat said.

Skiers and snowboarders want as much as they can get, but the first major snow of the year made it dicey for drivers.

“It’s slushy snow, it’s not light and fluffy so you are going to slide around a little,” one driver said.

Many side roads were too treacherous to maneuver, with cars going nowhere but up onto a tow truck.

“Everyone without chains over there is swerving back and forth to get up the hill,” Jackson Thompson said.

Teams of plows swept I-90 around the clock, but the fast-falling snow caused several cars to dive into ditches.

“We are trying to get to Leavenworth tonight to meet with some family,” Kimberly Robinson said.

Robinson’s husband is making sure they get their safely. They have four kids on the road and hours more to drive.

“If you can stay home, stay home,” the husband said.

Despite the inconvenience, this weekend snow is turning into a memorable moment for kids.

"It's great, I love snow," Samuel Rivers said.

About a foot of snow is expected Friday night and up to 4 inches of snow could fall Saturday morning on Snoqualmie Pass.