Pacific Northwest storm causes flooding, slides, shuts roads

By LISA BAUMANN
Associated Press

BELLINGHAM, Wash. (AP) — Snow turned to rain and continued to fall across the Pacific Northwest, causing flooding, landslides and avalanche danger in the mountains. Portions of Washington state’s two major interstates — Interstate 90 and Interstate 5 — were closed Friday. Interstate 5 in the Chehalis area closed due to flooding but reopened Friday afternoon. The major route across Washington’s Cascades — I-90 over Snoqualmie Pass — closed Thursday due to high avalanche danger and heavy snow. Stevens Pass on U.S. 2, White Pass on U.S. 12 and Blewett Pass on U.S. 97 also closed Thursday. The four mountain passes that connect Western Washington with Eastern Washington likely will remain closed until Sunday.