How long do Snoqualmie Pass closures last?

Avalanche-control closures usually run 1 to 3 hours. Crash and spinout closures vary. Multi-day closures are rare but happened in January 2012 and December 2021/January 2022 with heavy snow.

What is the alternative to Snoqualmie?

US-2 over Stevens Pass (4,061 ft) is higher and snowier. I-84 through the Columbia River Gorge avoids the Cascades entirely but adds hours and has its own ice problems in east wind events.

I-90 · WA

I-90 over Snoqualmie Pass: road conditions right now

Seattle, WA to Ellensburg, WA

Snoqualmie Pass at 3,022 feet is low by western standards but sits exactly where Pacific moisture meets Cascade cold, so it gets 400+ inches of snow a year. WSDOT closes it several times a winter for avalanche control and spinouts.

Checking the forecast, NWS alerts, and DOT feeds for I-90 right now…

Why this stretch is hard in winter

Rain in Seattle often means heavy wet snow at the summit; the rain–snow line hovers right around pass elevation.
Avalanche control closures east of the summit are scheduled and usually last 1 to 3 hours.
Traction tires advised and chains required are posted on WSDOT signs and 511 by direction.
Trucks are held at Hyak or North Bend when chains are required.

What this page checks

Hourly forecast at every checkpoint for the time you would be there: temperature, precipitation type and rate, gusts, visibility.
Active National Weather Service watches, warnings, and advisories on the route.
Snow on the ground (NOAA SNODAS) and the Weather Prediction Center winter impact outlook.
Pavement temperature and surface state from state DOT road sensors, when you are leaving within a few hours.
Chain controls, closures, and winter road condition reports from state DOT feeds where they are published openly.
Seasonal closures of mountain roads the router might otherwise use.

Official sources for this corridor

Questions drivers ask about I-90

How long do Snoqualmie Pass closures last?: Avalanche-control closures usually run 1 to 3 hours. Crash and spinout closures vary. Multi-day closures are rare but happened in January 2012 and December 2021/January 2022 with heavy snow.
What is the alternative to Snoqualmie?: US-2 over Stevens Pass (4,061 ft) is higher and snowier. I-84 through the Columbia River Gorge avoids the Cascades entirely but adds hours and has its own ice problems in east wind events.

Conditions change by the hour. This page is a planning aid built on public forecasts and DOT feeds; the road authority linked above has the final word on closures and chain requirements.

Other corridors: I-80 across Wyoming · I-70 through the Colorado mountains · I-80 over Donner Pass · I-84 through the Blue Mountains · I-15 over Cajon Pass · I-90 across South Dakota · all corridors