Snowstorm Before Christmas Keeps Trucking Across Pacific Northwest

A strong storm that FreightWaves began reporting on earlier this week continues to spin over the northwestern U.S. heading into the weekend before Christmas. Truckers working through the final push of holiday deliveries will have to be careful. Ice, heavy snowfall and heavy rainfall may slow them down. But, hopefully, not too many gifts will arrive late.

SONAR Critical Events: Friday, Dec. 20, 2019, 10 a.m. EST

During daylight hours today, Dec. 20, most of the heavy snowfall will occur in the Washington Cascades and Olympics, with some areas getting freezing rain. Snow will spread southward tomorrow, Dec. 21, coming back to the Oregon Cascades, with an additional 12 to 36 inches of snowfall piling up in some of the highest elevations across the range.

Hazardous conditions could lead to road closures on I-90 over Snoqualmie Pass, as well as Hurricane Ridge in the Olympics. Blewett Pass (US-97), Loup Loup Pass (WA-20), Stevens Pass (US-2) and McKenzie Pass (OR-242) will also be trouble spots. The storm will also impact the city of Mount St. Helens, Mt. Baker and Crystal Mountain ski areas and Mount Rainier National Park. Check chain laws here for the latest updates on winter driving.

Drenching rains, flooding potential and possible landslides will affect drivers on the I-5 corridor from Seattle to Portland and westward toward US-101. Tomorrow the heavy rain and flooding threats will spread south of Portland into northwestern California. Some areas of the Washington and Oregon lowlands could get hit with 5 to 10 inches of rainfall.