SNOHOMISH COUNTY, Wash. — All eyes are on the forecast, as KIRO 7 meteorologists track the possibility of the first snow of the year for a lot of Western Washington.
Representatives with the Washington State Department of Transportation say their crews are already working to make sure roads stay clear.
“What they’re doing right now is pre-treating the roadways, they’re putting chemicals on the roadways that will decrease the amount of accumulation, and then during the storm we’ll have plows,” WSDOT representative Summer Derry said.
They say they’ll have plows out to clear any snow that falls on the Snoqualmie Pass and are prepared to bring in more people and equipment if needed.
“We do resource shifting, if we’re expecting an increased snowfall, we’ll take crews from other locations, and put them where they are needed most,” Derry said.
They say despite all their best efforts however, the passes could close if people don’t follow the rules.
“It’s certainly been an interesting trend the last few years where drivers are just misbehaving on Snoqualmie Pass. Typically I-90 closes because drivers close it by driving too fast and spinning out,” she said.
Troopers will be trying to prevent that. They tell KIRO they will be doing increased chain enforcement on Snoqualmie Pass, meaning you could get a hefty fine if you don’t have chains in your car.
School districts are also monitoring the potential for snow. A representative with Bellingham Public Schools said the district was monitoring weather this weekend info next week, going on to say, “Most often, decisions are made in the early morning rather than the night before so that the most current weather conditions and forecasts can factor into the decision.”
A representative with Marysville School District said, “We will keep a close eye on the weather over the weekend. If there is snow on Monday, our transportation director will drive roads early in the morning (possibly Sunday night, too) and report to the superintendent on the condition of the roads that buses travel and the areas that students walk. We will follow our standard operating protocol, including the superintendent deciding on a regular school day, a late start, or canceling school depending on the weather and road conditions.”