A blizzard pounded mountainous areas of Oregon and Washington on Tuesday, knocking out power and prompting the closure of highways and ski resorts.
The Washington Department of Transportation closed two mountain passes: U.S. Route 2, which goes through Stevens Pass, and U.S. Route 97, which goes through Blewett Pass. The department cited high winds and poor visibility for both closures. Blewett also had fallen trees while Stevens had heavy snow.
The Stevens Pass ski resort in Washington posted on its blog that it got 19 inches of new snow before opening Tuesday. It closed the back side of the ski area due to snow safety concerns and plans to reopen the section when conditions allow.
The largest utility in Washington state said more than 150,000 customers lost power since the start of the storm.
Oregon ski resorts Mount Hood Meadows, Timberline Lodge and Skibowl all shut down their lifts, KGW-TV reported.
Topics Washington Oregon