In southeast Washington Tuesday, the snowplows came out to clear the highway of…tumbleweeds!
SR240 at mile post 10 is closed in both directions. DOT is working on clearing. Several vehicles trapped in the tumble weeds. Use alternate routes.-S.C. pic.twitter.com/xD2GfUluim
— Trooper C. Thorson (@wspd3pio) January 1, 2020
Trooper Thorson updated the public via Twitter New Year’s Eve & Day after strong winds literally swallowed vehicles on Washington Route 240!
We’re still working on clearing the roadway with @WSDOT_East . We are unsure when the roadway will be opened. Tumbleweeds are piled 20-30 feet in places. S.C. pic.twitter.com/zFbA3luscg
— Trooper C. Thorson (@wspd3pio) January 1, 2020
It’s impressive to get tumbleweeds scooting across any highway, but to get them “piled 20-30 feet in places” as Trooper Thorson mentions, is really something!
Daylight broke New Year’s Day and public works was able to clear the roadway and get to the vehicles. This particular vehicle did not have anyone inside.
#tumblegeddon After 10 hours of SR 240 being closed last night on New Year’s Eve, it was opened around 0430 thanks to @WSDOT_East We still have one abandon car trapped in the tumbleweeds that was found at daylight, luckily no one was in it. pic.twitter.com/df7XbnqafE
— Trooper C. Thorson (@wspd3pio) January 1, 2020
Wind gusts were in the range of 40 miles per hour through New Year’s, but some locations across the West had wind gusts up to 80 or 90 mph (mostly in Montana, Wyoming).