Washington 511 Road Conditions & Chain Requirements

No full closures are reported in Washington as of Sep 14, 2026 8:03 PM PDT, and no lane closures or roadworks either. Always check with the responsible state DOT before setting off.

Interstates Through Washington, Road by Road

Each stretch has its own live conditions, closures and cameras for the Washington miles only — the weather 500 miles away on the same interstate says nothing about this drive.

• I-5 Washington Road Conditions 276 mi
• I-90 Washington Road Conditions 297 mi

NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals, from 4 weather stations in Washington. A dash is a figure that station does not report, not a zero.

Snowfall across Washington is not one number: Vancouver averages 1.5" a year and Spokane averages 44.9".

Every figure above is a town or a city. The summits are a different climate: Snoqualmie Pass, Stevens Pass, White Pass have its own page with the readings at the top and a six-day summit forecast.

Driving in Washington Month by Month

What the road normally throws at you, month by month, from NOAA's 1991–2020 normals for Washington's own stations. Each month names its dominant hazard and the place that measured it — this is what the month is usually like, not a forecast and not a restriction.

• January Snow 11.4 in of snow at Spokane, 11 days that never thaw at Spokane
• February Snow 6.8 in of snow at Spokane, 4.2 days that never thaw at Spokane
• March Snow 3.5 in of snow at Spokane, 0.6 days that never thaw at Spokane
• April Snow 1 in of snow at Spokane
• May Quiet 4.3 wet days at Spokane is the most the normals report
• June Quiet 3.9 wet days at Spokane is the most the normals report
• July Heat 13.3 days above 90°F at Yakima
• August Heat 11 days above 90°F at Yakima
• September Quiet 2.1 wet days at Spokane is the most the normals report
• October Frost 11.9 freezing nights at Yakima
• November Snow 7.4 in of snow at Spokane, 3.6 days that never thaw at Spokane
• December Snow 14.6 in of snow at Spokane, 13.6 days that never thaw at Spokane

Washington Traction Tire & Chain Requirements

Washington does not turn a rule on for the winter. WSDOT posts one of four requirements on the pass, changes it as the storm changes, and the words on the sign are the law — the State Patrol writes the ticket, not WSDOT.

What the four signs require

An approved traction tire carries either a mud and snow marking (M+S, M/S, M-S) or the mountain-snowflake symbol on at least one sidewall, and has at least 4/32-inch of tread — an eighth of an inch — measured in the center of the tire. Studded tires and tire chains also count as approved traction devices, and so do the alternative devices the State Patrol has approved.

Traction tires advised

Nothing is required. WSDOT expects snow or ice and is telling you what the pass is like.

Traction tires required

Your drive tires need approved traction tires, chains or an approved device. This is the level most winter days reach.

Tire chains required

Chains on the drive tires. An all-wheel drive vehicle is exempt only with all wheels in gear on approved traction tires and chains for one set of drive tires actually in the car — carrying them is part of the exemption, not a precaution.

Chains required on all vehicles

No exemption left. All-wheel drive included, chains go on or you do not go over.

Fines

Non-compliance is a $500 fine.

Approved alternative traction devices

AutoSock, EasyGrip, EVO Grip, GripTex, ISSE Safety, Polaire Grip, Polaire Steel, SOS Grip and Alpha Trax are on the approved list. The Washington State Patrol keeps the current list at wsp.wa.gov ↗.

Studded tires

Studded tires are legal in Washington only from November 1 through March 31, and running them past the deadline risks a $137 fine. They are an approved traction tire while they are legal — but they are not chains: where chains are required, chains go on over them.

How you will know it is active

• Variable message signs on the pass itself
• WSDOT's mountain pass reports, per pass and per direction
• WSDOT's real-time travel map

What is in force is posted on the sign and changes through the day. This page does not carry it — wsdot.com ↗ is the authority before you set off. Where this site does carry it is the pass pages, in each direction as the DOT reports it: Snoqualmie Pass, Stevens Pass and White Pass.

Source: WAC 204-24, checked August 26, 2026.

Related Roads

Washington Road Weather FAQ

Are any roads closed in Washington right now?

No full closures are reported on the interstates in Washington. No lane closures or roadworks are reported either.

What are Washington road conditions today?

The map on this page colors the interstates across Washington by what is on the pavement right now — dry, wet, slush, snow or ice — from radar and surface data, last updated Sep 14, 2026 8:03 PM PDT. Right now temperatures run from 48°F to 66°F and the strongest wind is 13 mph.

What are Washington's traction tire requirements?

An approved traction tire carries either a mud and snow marking (M+S, M/S, M-S) or the mountain-snowflake symbol on at least one sidewall, and has at least 4/32-inch of tread — an eighth of an inch — measured in the center of the tire. Studded tires and tire chains also count as approved traction devices, and so do the alternative devices the State Patrol has approved.

How much is the fine for not chaining up in Washington?

Non-compliance is a $500 fine.

Do I need chains to drive Snoqualmie Pass in winter?

Not always. It depends which of 4 requirements is posted: "Traction tires advised" — nothing is required. WSDOT expects snow or ice and is telling you what the pass is like. "Traction tires required" — your drive tires need approved traction tires, chains or an approved device. This is the level most winter days reach. "Tire chains required" — chains on the drive tires. An all-wheel drive vehicle is exempt only with all wheels in gear on approved traction tires and chains for one set of drive tires actually in the car — carrying them is part of the exemption, not a precaution. "Chains required on all vehicles" — no exemption left. All-wheel drive included, chains go on or you do not go over.

When are studded tires legal in Washington?

Studded tires are legal in Washington only from November 1 through March 31, and running them past the deadline risks a $137 fine. They are an approved traction tire while they are legal — but they are not chains: where chains are required, chains go on over them.

What counts as an approved alternative traction device in Washington?

AutoSock, EasyGrip, EVO Grip, GripTex, ISSE Safety, Polaire Grip, Polaire Steel, SOS Grip and Alpha Trax are on the approved list. WAC 204-24 keeps the current list at wsp.wa.gov.

Which interstates run through Washington?

Washington has 2 through interstates on this site: I-5 and I-90 — about 573 miles of interstate across the state. Each has its own page for the Washington stretch.

Are there mountain passes in Washington?

Yes — 3 on this site: Snoqualmie Pass at 3,022 ft, Stevens Pass at 4,061 ft and White Pass at 4,500 ft. Each has its own summit page.

Where are Washington road closures reported officially?

Washington's official traveler information service is wsdot.com, and it is where closures and restrictions are reported.

Are there live traffic cameras in Washington?

Yes. This page shows 6 live views in Washington from the state transportation departments' own camera feeds, further down the page, refreshed each time you load it.

How often are Washington road conditions updated?

The road surface and weather layers are rebuilt whenever this page is opened with data more than ten minutes old, and refreshed on a schedule in between, so nothing here is more than about two hours old even on a road nobody has looked at. Closures and road blocks are re-imported from the state 511 feeds every fifteen minutes, and the written state-by-state summaries are refreshed daily. Every section on this page carries the time its data was fetched.