Republished January 17, 2017 - 8:54 PM
Original Publication Date January 17, 2017 - 2:05 PM
PORTLAND, Ore. - The Latest on the ice storm in Oregon and Washington (all times local):
9:40 p.m.
Freezing rain has caused officials to close the runway at the Spokane International Airport.
Airport officials posted on social media Tuesday night that despite pre-treatment of paved surfaces and several applications of deicing materials and sand, the runway had to be closed at 9:15 p.m.
Officials say crews were working to restore the pavement to safe operating condition.
The airport website showed several flights were diverted or cancelled Tuesday night.
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8:30 p.m.
Officials say Interstate 90 over Snoqualmie Pass was closed in both directions because of freezing rain and snow on the roadways.
Washington Department of Transportation officials said Tuesday night the westbound lanes would be closed overnight while the eastbound lanes were closed to clear semitrailer spinouts.
No estimated time was given to reopen the east lanes.
Officials said later Tuesday there was no avalanche danger but that snow was sliding onto the interstate in a couple places "like sand from an hour glass."
Officials with the National Weather Service expanded an ice storm warning in Washington to include areas from east of Snoqualmie Pass to Spokane overnight.
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7:20 p.m.
Officials say the westbound lanes of Interstate 90 near Ellensburg, Washington will be closed overnight due to freezing rain and avalanche danger.
The Washington Department of Transportation said Tuesday evening that I-90 westbound was closed from near Ellensburg over Snoqualmie Pass and that snow had slid onto the roadway.
Officials say that part of the freeway will be closed until crews can assess the slide during daylight hours.
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6:45 p.m.
Officials say the Yakima Airport in Washington closed at 6 p.m. because of freezing rain.
Airport spokesman Randy Beehler says crews were deicing the runway and taxiways to determine if the airport would be able to accommodate flights later Tuesday.
The National Weather Service in Seattle issued an ice storm warning in Yakima and the Cascade Mountains Thursday. An ice storm was also issued for the Columbia River Gorge in Washington and Oregon as well as the East Portland metro area.
The service also issued a high wind warning on the Oregon and Washington coasts into Wednesday morning with winds up to 40 mph and gusts up to 60 mph.
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2 p.m.
State transportation officials have shut down a 45-mile section of Interstate 84 between Troutdale and Hood River due to icy conditions.
The closure came Tuesday afternoon as freezing rain swept into northwest Oregon, including parts of Portland.
An ice storm warning was in effect in the Portland metropolitan region and the Columbia River Gorge until 10 p.m. Pacific.
Portland can expect one-tenth to one-quarter of an inch of ice, but areas east of Interstate 205 and into the Columbia River Gorge could get an inch or more.
Oregon has been pummeled by snow and below-freezing temperatures for days, but a warming trend starting Wednesday could mean flooding later in the week.
And an incoming weather system is also beginning to spread freezing rain across a broad swath of the Cascades, Central Washington and southwest Washington.
News from © The Associated Press, 2017