A blizzard hit Hurricane Ridge. Video captured 55 mph winds and 14-foot snow drifts
Hurricane Ridge lived up to its name over the weekend with blizzard-like conditions that temporarily closed the popular area in Olympic National Park.
Winds gusted up to 55 mph on Saturday, creating 14-foot snow drifts in the parking lot of the visitor area.
The park closed Hurricane Ridge Road to the public but crews kept working to plow roads.
“It’s like we were never here yesterday,” road crews said.
Rangers summed up the experience by saying: “It is like being sandblasted.”
Temperatures dropped to the upper 20s, though the wind chill factor lowered into the teens.
About six inches of snow fell at Hurricane Ridge during Saturday’s storm, forecasters said.
The snow level was about 1,500 feet.
Winds started out around 25 mph but picked up to 55 mph.
“Winds like these transport snow onto the road and parking lot just as fast as our road crew can clear it,” according to the park’s Facebook page.
Hurricane Ridge Road reopened Sunday.
In the winter, the road is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. as long as the weather permits.
Stacia Glenn: 253-597-8653
This story was originally published January 29, 2018 at 12:41 PM with the headline "A blizzard hit Hurricane Ridge. Video captured 55 mph winds and 14-foot snow drifts."