A blizzard is pounding mountainous areas of Oregon and Washington. The winter storm knocked out power and prompted the closure of highways and ski resorts Tuesday. The Washington Department of Transportation closed Stevens and Blewett mountain passes. The department cites high winds, poor visibility, heavy snow and fallen trees. The Stevens Pass ski resort in Washington posted on its blog that it got 19 inches of new snow before opening Tuesday. It says more is on the way. The resort has closed the back side of the ski area due to snow safety concerns. It plans to reopen that section when conditions allow.
