A snow slide forced authorities to close Interstate 90 through Snoqualmie Pass for most of the morning.

There were some unlucky drivers who remained stuck with their cars on each side of the avalanche. Fortunately, there were no injuries and no one was hit by the snow slide, said Lauren Penning, spokeswoman for the state Department of Transportation.

The snow slid at about 7:25 a.m. and blocked the eastbound lanes six miles east of Snoqualmie Pass

There were numerous cars stranded in the closed stretch (about 70 miles from North Bend to Ellensburg), but the drivers removed them from the closed area.

The Department of Transportation hasn’t said yet when the I-90 would reopen for traffic, but it’s very possible that when it will reopen it will be closed again for avalanche work.
Penning advised travelers to avoid crossing any of the state's mountain passes today.

The clearing of the highway of the avalanche and the necessary avalanche control work might take several hours, the Department said.

Approximately a foot of snow built up overnight at the summit of Snoqualmie Pass and the forecast shows that snow will pour heavily for the next 24 to 36 hours and will probably add as much as two additional feet.

Interstate 90 or I-90 is the longest interstate highway in the country at nearly 3,100 miles (5,000 kilometers). It is the northernmost east-to-west, coast-to-coast interstate. Its western terminus is in Seattle, Washington, at 4th Avenue S. next to Qwest Field, and its eastern terminus is in Boston, Massachusetts, at Route 1A near Logan International Airport. It crosses the Continental Divide just east of Butte, Montana.