Storm brings snow, wrecks to Pass

Yesterday's storm gave some ski resorts hope for a second wind but also left an icy mess on Interstate 90 near Snoqualmie Pass with at least 30 separate car accidents, including one fatality.

After his car wound up in a ditch, the driver left his vehicle while waiting for a tow and was killed when a semi spun out of control, the Washington State Patrol said. Troopers identified the man as Ernest A. Byng, 31, of Connell, Franklin County.

In most of yesterday's accidents, drivers lost control on the ice, the State Patrol reported. Injuries were mostly minor.

"People do not have their snow tires anymore, and they are not carrying chains. ... They ran into 12 inches of snow and they were stuck," said Mike Westbay of the state Department of Transportation, which closed I-90 for most of the afternoon.

Mother Nature gave Seattle a record-breaking pounding yesterday. Between midnight and 10 p.m. there was 1.38 inches of rain at Sand Point. The old record for the day, 0.92 inch, was set in 1988. Seattle is expected to get another inch of rain today.

But a few wet days won't reverse the water shortfall, said Johnny Burg of the National Weather Service.

Seattle police reported no major accidents. But the storm made Easter egg hunts in the area more of a challenge than usual.

Shirley Hansen volunteered at the egg hunt near Shoreline City Hall. "We had a tent blown away," she said. "We have umbrellas turned inside out. We got people wearing plastic bags. We have people with beach towels over their heads."

The Crystal Mountain ski area got 10 inches of snow yesterday and may reopen Saturday if it gets a few more snowstorms, as expected, according to its Web site.

Snoqualmie Pass got 10 inches at the base yesterday, and officials said it would open if another 16 inches falls.

Tan Vinh: 206-515-5656 or tvinh@seattletimes.com