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Winter Weather in the mountain, extreme cold on the way
A winter storm warning was in effect in the mountain passes, while a blast of cold weather is expected later this week.
SNOQUALMIE PASS, Wash. - A winter storm warning was in effect on Sunday night, and while families who headed to the slopes tried to get an early start back home before the storm, many of them got caught in traffic instead.
"Yeah for over an hour," said Jennifer Hardman. "She watched a whole episode of America Horror Story. We haven’t even gone one tenth of a mile. We have point three miles to go until we get to the freeway."
Hardman and her family were traveling back home to Marysville after a weekend away with the family. They were one of many groups who got stuck in Snoqualmie Pass trying to access I-90.
At one point, I-90 was closed due to multiple spinouts on Sunday. WSDOT officials said conditions were icy and that chains were required on the highway.
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Meanwhile, in the coming days our region will be seeing a blast of cold weather. The Q13 Weather Team said we’ll see some of the lowest temperatures of the season, with highs at time close to or below freezing.
The organization Take Winter By Storm provides a checklist on how to prepare your home for the extreme cold. One of the important recommendations is to check your pipes and make sure they’re ready to withstand freezing temperatures. You can also learn how to take extra measures to prevent your pipes from freezing, or worse, a pipe burst.
While most families are hunkered down at home, if you find yourself staying away from home for an extended period of time, make sure the thermostat in your house never goes below 55 degrees.
The City of Issaquah told Q13 News, a list of winter weather shelters is available for people seeking cover from the cold. City officials will also discuss a potential warming station if it is needed later in the week.