Winter Storm Europa Arrives in Pacific Northwest; Interstate 84 Closed in Eastern Oregon

Sean Breslin
Published: December 23,2016
Heavy snow from Winter Storm Europa arrived in the Pacific Northwest on Friday, slowing travel on the first day of its expected coast-to-coast journey.
The storm is expected to dump up to two feet in the higher elevations, and some of that snow fell Friday in Washington, Oregon and Idaho. Travel was especially poor Friday morning in eastern Oregon; according to the Associated Press, Interstate 84 was closed from Baker City to Pendleton as conditions worsened.
By Friday afternoon, traffic was moving slowly but the interstate was reopened.
(MORE: Check the Forecast for Winter Storm Europa)

Snow was also falling across parts of western Washington on Friday, and in California, drivers were told to be extremely careful if they encountered winter conditions. According to the Sacramento Bee, a portion of Highway 50 was closed Friday morning near Echo Summit after an SUV spun out and became wedged near an embankment. No injuries were reported in the slide-off, the Bee also said.
"It’s a pretty heavy storm," Caltrans spokesman Gilbert Mohtes-Chan told the Bee.
A few flights were canceled into and out of Portland International Airport and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Friday, according to FlightAware.