Seattle, Washington -- There was an unusual sight at the world-famous Pike Place Market in Seattle Saturday morning: about 4 inches of snow on the ground already. Two to six more inches of snow were in the forecast as a winter storm pounded the state.

Washington Governor Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency Friday for the entire state and urged people to stay off the roads. People cleared grocery store shelves as they rushed to prepare.

One county official warned the storm could be a "once every decade or two occurrence," CBS News' Carter Evans reported.

As it moved it, the storm obscured Seattle's famous Space Needle from sight. In the city's Queen Anne neighborhood Friday night, one bus had to bail off its route after it got stuck on a snow-covered street. Some roads were closed completely overnight Friday into Saturday.

More than six inches of snow fell at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. At least 200 flights were canceled to accommodate the winter weather, and a snowball fight unfolded between workers on the tarmac.

More flight cancellations are expected out of Seattle Saturday. By early morning, 80 were already canceled.

Conditions are likely to let up later in the day, but another storm system is expected to push across the area late Sunday. That system could bring even more snow. </s> A winter storm pounded Washington state Friday, forcing the cancellation of 200 flights in Seattle as officials worked to get people off the streets and into shelters during the nation's latest bout with winter weather.

Snow began falling north of Seattle with some areas recording 8 inches (20 centimeters) of snow before it made its way south and enveloped the city.

Many businesses closed early so workers could get home.

Gov. Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency, saying everyone in the state should focus on staying safe.

"Forecasters predict this may be a storm unlike one we've seen in many years," he said.

In California, more than 120 visitors and staff members were rescued after being snowbound in a Sierra Nevada resort for five days.

Up to 7 feet (2 meters) of snow had trapped the guests and staff beginning Sunday at Montecito Sequoia Lodge in Kings Canyon National Park, U.S. Forest Service spokesman Alicia Embrey said.

Crews had to travel by snowmobile to get to the lodge in mountains east of Fresno. Heavy equipment and crews then cleared more than 20 fallen trees and 8 miles (13 kilometers) of deep snow on the road leading to the lodge to allow guests and staff to leave the property Thursday night.

Another winter storm was on the way to the region.

In Yosemite National Park, as many as 50 housing structures near Half Dome Village were damaged by trees toppled during a snowstorm earlier this week, displacing more than 160 employees who provide food, lodging and other services for visitors.

Elsewhere, more than 148,000 customers were without electricity in Michigan following days of freezing rain. The Consumers Energy utility said power would be restored by late Sunday.

In Seattle, officials urged people to stay off the roads as traffic slowed to a standstill in some places because of the snow.

"Doesn't matter where you're going, expect it to take a very. long. time," the Washington Department of Transportation said on Twitter.

Schools and colleges had canceled classes ahead of the storm expected to bring 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 centimeters) of snow. Scores of flights were cancelled or delayed at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

Snowfall from Sunday and Monday lingered into the week as below-freezing temperatures gripped the area. A 59-year-old man died Thursday from exposure at a Seattle light rail station.

Additional shelter space opened by city and county officials was filling up. The city was focused on people who are willing to come inside, Will Lemke, spokesman for the Seattle Human Services Department, told the Seattle Times.

"This is an extreme weather event, and offering shelter is the most important thing we can do right now," he said.

Forecasters said Portland, Oregon, could get up to 4 inches (10 centimeters) of snow later in the day, with two more snowstorms expected to hit the city next week.

Residents in Portland and Seattle, two cities where rain is more common than snow in the winter, emptied grocery store shelves and waited in long lines to buy shovels and de-icer.

Autumn Sang was at a mobbed grocery store in Tualatin, Oregon, on Friday stocking up for the coming storm for herself and her neighbor, who is disabled and doesn't have a car.

Sang said she had never seen the store so crowded. She grew up in southern Oregon, where snow is more common, and wasn't fazed by the forecast.

"I love it. I'm excited about it," she said of the snow. "I think that Portlanders, most of them are city people and they come from a lot of different places, so they're not so used to it. It's like, 'Use your brain! If you don't have to go out, don't go out.'" </s> SEATTLE (AP) — A winter storm pounded Washington state Friday, forcing the cancellation of 200 flights in Seattle as officials worked to get people off the streets and into shelters during the nation’s latest bout with winter weather.

Snow began falling north of Seattle with some areas recording 8 inches (20 centimeters) of snow before it made its way south and enveloped the city.

Many businesses closed early so workers could get home.

Gov. Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency, saying everyone in the state should focus on staying safe.

“Forecasters predict this may be a storm unlike one we’ve seen in many years,” he said.

In California, more than 120 visitors and staff members were rescued after being snowbound in a Sierra Nevada resort for five days.

Up to 7 feet (2 meters) of snow had trapped the guests and staff beginning Sunday at Montecito Sequoia Lodge in Kings Canyon National Park, U.S. Forest Service spokesman Alicia Embrey said.

Crews had to travel by snowmobile to get to the lodge in mountains east of Fresno. Heavy equipment and crews then cleared more than 20 fallen trees and 8 miles (13 kilometers) of deep snow on the road leading to the lodge to allow guests and staff to leave the property Thursday night.

Another winter storm was on the way to the region.

In Yosemite National Park, as many as 50 housing structures near Half Dome Village were damaged by trees toppled during a snowstorm earlier this week, displacing more than 160 employees who provide food, lodging and other services for visitors.

Elsewhere, more than 148,000 customers were without electricity in Michigan following days of freezing rain. The Consumers Energy utility said power would be restored by late Sunday.

In Seattle, officials urged people to stay off the roads as traffic slowed to a standstill in some places because of the snow.

“Doesn’t matter where you’re going, expect it to take a very. long. time,” the Washington Department of Transportation said on Twitter.

Schools and colleges had canceled classes ahead of the storm expected to bring 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 centimeters) of snow. Scores of flights were cancelled or delayed at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

Snowfall from Sunday and Monday lingered into the week as below-freezing temperatures gripped the area. A 59-year-old man died Thursday from exposure at a Seattle light rail station.

Additional shelter space opened by city and county officials was filling up. The city was focused on people who are willing to come inside, Will Lemke, spokesman for the Seattle Human Services Department, told the Seattle Times.

“This is an extreme weather event, and offering shelter is the most important thing we can do right now,” he said.

Forecasters said Portland, Oregon, could get up to 4 inches (10 centimeters) of snow later in the day, with two more snowstorms expected to hit the city next week.

Residents in Portland and Seattle, two cities where rain is more common than snow in the winter, emptied grocery store shelves and waited in long lines to buy shovels and de-icer.

Autumn Sang was at a mobbed grocery store in Tualatin, Oregon, on Friday stocking up for the coming storm for herself and her neighbor, who is disabled and doesn’t have a car.

Sang said she had never seen the store so crowded. She grew up in southern Oregon, where snow is more common, and wasn’t fazed by the forecast.

“I love it. I’m excited about it,” she said of the snow. “I think that Portlanders, most of them are city people and they come from a lot of different places, so they’re not so used to it. It’s like, ‘Use your brain! If you don’t have to go out, don’t go out.'”

AP journalists Amanda Lee Myers in Los Angeles and Gillian Flaccus in Portland, Oregon, contributed to this report. </s> Some areas around Seattle received more than 10 inches of snow Saturday, the most in 70 years, the National Weather Service said, and more is on the way two more storm systems close in on the area. The National Weather Service said the first storm system is expected to arrive in the area Sunday night with light accumulation, and the second system will push through Monday and continue into Tuesday.Meanwhile, cold temperatures are expected in the region overnight Saturday, with temperatures dropping to 15-20 degrees and the wind chill in the single digits.The National Weather Service saidNearly 8 inches of snow fell at Seattle-Tacoma Airport, where hundreds of flights were cancelled, CBS News' Carter Evans reports. The storm obscured the famous Space Needle and left a blanket of snow over some very iconic locations, like Pike Place Market. Heavy snow did do some damage in Yosemite National Park, where they got up to two feet in some areas.In Tacoma, hundreds of people turned out for a snowball fight in a park after someone who lives nearby suggested it on Facebook. They took cover behind picnic tables and used sleds as shields."This is a perfect morning to bundle up and play in the snow, but stay off the roads if possible," Gov. Jay Inslee wrote on Twitter.In central Washington, blowing snow and drifts 3 to 4 feet deep forced the closure of U.S. 2 and Interstate 90. The Grant County Sheriff's Office warned that snow drifts were blocking many roads. Airports in eastern Washington closed, and numerous car crashes were reported."Snow conditions are worsening minute to minute, so don't expect travel conditions to improve," the sheriff's office wrote.The National Weather Service said additional snow could fall Saturday, and another storm was expected early next week.About 180 people spent the night at an emergency shelter set up at Seattle Center, with officials going out again on Saturday to get other homeless residents to safety. Inslee declared a state of emergency over the storm. The state transportation department said crews had to clear several trees that had fallen across roads in the Tacoma area.In Portland, a tanker truck slid into a sport-utility vehicle on an interchange between Interstates 5 and 84 on Saturday, blocking the ramp for hours.Other parts of the country were also wrestling with difficult weather. Residents of Hawaii were bracing for coastal flooding amid extreme surf predictions. A California man died in rough waters off of Maui on Friday, Hawaii News Now reported.In California, m ore than 120 visitors and staff members were rescued Thursday after being trapped by up to 7 feet of snow in a Sierra Nevada resort for five days.Another winter storm was on the way to the region.In Yosemite National Park, as many as 50 housing structures near Half Dome Village were damaged by trees toppled during a snowstorm earlier this week, displacing more than 160 employees who provide food, lodging and other services for visitors.Elsewhere, more than 148,000 customers lost power in Michigan following days of freezing rain. The Consumers Energy utility said power would be restored by late Sunday.In Washington, about 50,000 people lost power. In Seattle, snowfall from Sunday and Monday lingered into the week as below-freezing temperatures gripped the area. A 59-year-old man died Thursday from exposure at a Seattle light rail station.Residents in Portland and Seattle who are more accustomed to rain than snow waited in long lines to buy shovels and de-icer.Autumn Sang was at a mobbed grocery store in Tualatin, Oregon, on Friday stocking up for the coming storm for herself and her neighbor, who is disabled and doesn't have a car.Sang said she had never seen the store so crowded. She grew up in southern Oregon, where snow is more common, and wasn't fazed by the forecast."I love it. I'm excited about it," she said of the snow. "I think that Portlanders, most of them are city people and they come from a lot of different places, so they're not so used to it. It's like, 'Use your brain! If you don't have to go out, don't go out.' " </s> SEATTLE — A winter storm pounded Washington state Friday, forcing the cancellation of 200 flights in Seattle as officials worked to get people off the streets and into shelters during the nation's latest bout with winter weather.

Snow began falling north of Seattle with some areas recording 8 inches of snow before it made its way south and enveloped the city.

Many businesses closed early so workers could get home.

Gov. Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency, saying everyone in the state should focus on staying safe.

"Forecasters predict this may be a storm unlike one we've seen in many years," he said.

In California, more than 120 visitors and staff members were rescued after being snowbound in a Sierra Nevada resort for five days.

Up to 7 feet of snow had trapped the guests and staff beginning Sunday at Montecito Sequoia Lodge in Kings Canyon National Park, U.S. Forest Service spokesman Alicia Embrey said.

Crews had to travel by snowmobile to get to the lodge in mountains east of Fresno. Heavy equipment and crews then cleared more than 20 fallen trees and 8 miles of deep snow on the road leading to the lodge to allow guests and staff to leave the property Thursday night.

Another winter storm was on the way to the region.

In Yosemite National Park, as many as 50 housing structures near Half Dome Village were damaged by trees toppled during a snowstorm earlier this week, displacing more than 160 employees who provide food, lodging and other services for visitors.

Elsewhere, more than 148,000 customers were without electricity in Michigan following days of freezing rain. The Consumers Energy utility said power would be restored by late Sunday.

In Seattle, officials urged people to stay off the roads as traffic slowed to a standstill in some places because of the snow.

"Doesn't matter where you're going, expect it to take a very. long. time," the Washington Department of Transportation said on Twitter.

Schools and colleges had canceled classes ahead of the storm expected to bring 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 centimeters) of snow. Scores of flights were canceled or delayed at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

Snowfall from Sunday and Monday lingered into the week as below-freezing temperatures gripped the area. A 59-year-old man died Thursday from exposure at a Seattle light rail station.

Additional shelter space opened by city and county officials was filling up. The city was focused on people who are willing to come inside, Will Lemke, spokesman for the Seattle Human Services Department, told the Seattle Times.

"This is an extreme weather event, and offering shelter is the most important thing we can do right now," he said.

Forecasters said Portland, Oregon, could get up to 4 inches of snow later in the day, with two more snowstorms expected to hit the city next week.

Residents in Portland and Seattle, two cities where rain is more common than snow in the winter, emptied grocery store shelves and waited in long lines to buy shovels and deicer.

Autumn Sang was at a mobbed grocery store in Tualatin, Oregon, on Friday stocking up for the coming storm for herself and her neighbor, who is disabled and doesn't have a car.

Sang said she had never seen the store so crowded. She grew up in southern Oregon, where snow is more common, and wasn't fazed by the forecast.

"I love it. I'm excited about it," she said of the snow. "I think that Portlanders, most of them are city people and they come from a lot of different places, so they're not so used to it. It's like, 'Use your brain! If you don't have to go out, don't go out.'" </s> SEATTLE — A winter storm pounded Washington state, forcing the cancellation of flights in Seattle as officials worked to get people off the streets and into shelters during the nation's latest bout with winter weather.

Gov. Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency for the state of Washington, saying everyone in the state should focus on staying safe, as a winter storm warning went into effect from Friday until Saturday at 4 p.m. PST.

"Forecasters predict this may be a storm unlike one we've seen in many years," he said.

Snow began falling north of Seattle with some areas recording 8 inches of snow before it made its way south and enveloped the city.

Many businesses closed early so workers could get home.

More than 50,000 customers were without power on Saturday, according to Washington state utility company Puget Sound Energy.

As of 9 a.m. PST on Saturday, more than 180 flight had been cancelled at Seattle–Tacoma International Airport, according to flight tracking site FlightAware.

In California, more than 120 visitors and staff members were rescued after being snowbound in a Sierra Nevada resort for five days.

Up to 7 feet of snow had trapped the guests and staff beginning Sunday at Montecito Sequoia Lodge in Kings Canyon National Park, U.S. Forest Service spokesman Alicia Embrey said.

Crews had to travel by snowmobile to get to the lodge in mountains east of Fresno. Heavy equipment and crews then cleared more than 20 fallen trees and 8 miles of deep snow on the road leading to the lodge to allow guests and staff to leave the property Thursday night.

Another winter storm was on the way to the region.

In Yosemite National Park, as many as 50 housing structures near Half Dome Village were damaged by trees toppled during a snowstorm earlier this week, displacing more than 160 employees who provide food, lodging and other services for visitors.

Elsewhere, more than 148,000 customers were without electricity in Michigan following days of freezing rain. The Consumers Energy utility said power would be restored by late Sunday.

In Seattle, officials urged people to stay off the roads as traffic slowed to a standstill in some places because of the snow.

"Doesn't matter where you're going, expect it to take a very. long. time," the Washington Department of Transportation said on Twitter.

Schools and colleges had canceled classes ahead of the storm expected to bring 6 to 8 inches of snow. Scores of flights were cancelled or delayed at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

Snowfall from Sunday and Monday lingered into the week as below-freezing temperatures gripped the area. A 59-year-old man died Thursday from exposure at a Seattle light rail station.

Additional shelter space opened by city and county officials was filling up. The city was focused on people who are willing to come inside, Will Lemke, spokesman for the Seattle Human Services Department, told the Seattle Times.

"This is an extreme weather event, and offering shelter is the most important thing we can do right now," he said.

Forecasters said Portland, Oregon, could get up to 4 inches of snow later in the day, with two more snowstorms expected to hit the city next week.

Residents in Portland and Seattle, two cities where rain is more common than snow in the winter, emptied grocery store shelves and waited in long lines to buy shovels and de-icer.

Autumn Sang was at a mobbed grocery store in Tualatin, Oregon, on Friday stocking up for the coming storm for herself and her neighbor, who is disabled and doesn't have a car.

Sang said she had never seen the store so crowded. She grew up in southern Oregon, where snow is more common, and wasn't fazed by the forecast.

"I love it. I'm excited about it," she said of the snow. "I think that Portlanders, most of them are city people and they come from a lot of different places, so they're not so used to it. It's like, 'Use your brain! If you don't have to go out, don't go out.'" </s> Seattle – A winter storm pounded Washington state Friday, forcing the cancellation of 200 flights in Seattle as officials worked to get people off the streets and into shelters during the nation’s latest bout with winter weather.

Snow began falling north of Seattle with some areas recording 8 inches of snow before it made its way south and enveloped the city.

Many businesses closed early so workers could get home.

Gov. Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency, saying everyone in the state should focus on staying safe.

“Forecasters predict this may be a storm unlike one we’ve seen in many years,” he said.

In California, more than 120 visitors and staff members were rescued after being snowbound in a Sierra Nevada resort for five days.

Up to 7 feet of snow had trapped the guests and staff beginning Sunday at Montecito Sequoia Lodge in Kings Canyon National Park, U.S. Forest Service spokesman Alicia Embrey said.

Crews had to travel by snowmobile to get to the lodge in mountains east of Fresno. Heavy equipment and crews then cleared more than 20 fallen trees and 8 miles of deep snow on the road leading to the lodge to allow guests and staff to leave the property Thursday night.

Another winter storm was on the way to the region.

In Yosemite National Park, as many as 50 housing structures near Half Dome Village were damaged by trees toppled during a snowstorm earlier this week, displacing more than 160 employees who provide food, lodging and other services for visitors.

Elsewhere, more than 148,000 customers were without electricity in Michigan following days of freezing rain. The Consumers Energy utility said power would be restored by late Sunday.

In Seattle, officials urged people to stay off the roads as traffic slowed to a standstill in some places because of the snow.

“Doesn’t matter where you’re going, expect it to take a very. long. time,” the Washington Department of Transportation said on Twitter.

Schools and colleges had canceled classes ahead of the storm expected to bring 6 to 8 inches of snow. Scores of flights were canceled or delayed at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

Snowfall from Sunday and Monday lingered into the week as below-freezing temperatures gripped the area. A 59-year-old man died Thursday from exposure at a Seattle light rail station.

Additional shelter space opened by city and county officials was filling up. The city was focused on people who are willing to come inside, Will Lemke, spokesman for the Seattle Human Services Department, told the Seattle Times.

“This is an extreme weather event, and offering shelter is the most important thing we can do right now,” he said.

Forecasters said Portland, Oregon, could get up to 4 inches of snow later in the day, with two more snowstorms expected to hit the city next week.

Residents in Portland and Seattle, two cities where rain is more common than snow in the winter, emptied grocery store shelves and waited in long lines to buy shovels and de-icer.

Autumn Sang was at a mobbed grocery store in Tualatin, Oregon, on Friday stocking up for the coming storm for herself and her neighbor, who is disabled and doesn’t have a car.

Sang said she had never seen the store so crowded. She grew up in southern Oregon, where snow is more common, and wasn’t fazed by the forecast.

“I love it. I’m excited about it,” she said of the snow. “I think that Portlanders, most of them are city people and they come from a lot of different places, so they’re not so used to it. It’s like, ‘Use your brain! If you don’t have to go out, don’t go out.’” </s> A winter storm along America’s west coast has brought near record-breaking snowfall to cities such as Seattle and Portland, the second time in a week the region has been hit.

The National Weather Service has issued winter storm warnings from northern California to Washington state and west into Montana. The region is expected to receive more than 6in of snow, with more in the mountains.

Already, Seattle-Tacoma airport saw the second highest snowfall ever for a single day, at 6.4in, according to the National Weather Service. Forecasters expect the snowstorms to continue into next week.

Washington’s governor, Jay Inslee, declared a state of emergency because of the storms on Friday evening. More than 170 flights have been canceled into and out of Seattle-Tacoma Airport.

Seattle rarely sees large winter storms. In 2016, writers from the sunny Los Angeles Times dubbed the city “snow wimps”, writing that Seattle “always marched unarmed into its infrequent battles with snow”.

The worst winter storm on record to hit the region was in 1916, when 38in of snow paralyzed the city for days and caused the collapse of a historic dome on St James Cathedral, according to the Seattle Times.

In addition to massive traffic delays, the wintry weather has also resulted in at least one life threatening situation. In Edgewood, Washington, just south of Seattle, local sheriffs rescued a young woman who fell through the ice on a pond while walking her dog. Both were rescued.

Chilly temperatures are expected to continue through the weekend. </s> The second snowstorm in week to hit the Seattle region snarled freeways, stalled bus routes and led Gov. Jay Inslee to declare a state of emergency on Friday.

Residents also made a dash to grocery stores, stocking up for the snowy weather that could stick around for days as temperatures are expected to linger around freezing.

In a warning ahead of the snowfall, King County Executive Dow Constantine called the intensity of the storm a “once every decade or two occurrence.” Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan called it a “potentially very dangerous storm.”

“Our number-one goal is to keep people safe,” she said.

The snow came in waves Friday and is expected to accumulate 4 to 6 inches through the evening and into Saturday morning, according to the National Weather Service.

Evening rush hour came early in Seattle, as a mass exodus of commuters headed home early to beat the snow, congesting roads within and out of the city.

Commute times on common routes were double — and in some cases nearly triple — the usual about 3 p.m., according to the Washington Department of Transportation. Traffic was heavy or stop-and-go on Interstate 5 for much of the stretch between North Seattle and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Travel times started to improve about 4 p.m.

King County Metro buses, already running with reduced frequency, filled up and passed people at stops. Metro is operating with about 65 percent of its peak commute fleet, down from about 75 percent Wednesday, said spokeswoman Torie Rynning.

The snow, which began to fall around noon in Seattle, hadn’t yet stuck on major roads, although other parts of the state had already seen up to 8 inches.

Meteorologists had predicted up to 8 inches of snow in the Seattle area from Friday to Saturday. But now accumulation is expected to be around 4 to 6 inches from Everett to Seattle, and maybe even down to Tacoma, said weather service meteorologist Kirby Cook.

“Eight is still possible, but it’s looking less likely. That’s the worst-case scenario,” Cook said. “The area of real concern is the Port Angeles, Port Townsend area of the northern peninsula. They’re going to be the hardest hit.”

Parts of the northern Olympic Peninsula had already seen up to 8 inches of snow by 3 p.m., and may get another 4 or 5 inches tonight, Cook said.

A winter storm warning is in effect for parts of Western Washington through 4 p.m. Saturday, although the weather service may revise that depending on conditions.

Heavy snowfall will continue through 9 p.m. and then begin to taper off, transitioning into lighter snow showers that could linger into Saturday morning, Cook said. The snow should end by Saturday afternoon, but drivers will be left with icy road conditions, as nighttime temperatures could drop into the teens this weekend, he said.

There’s a slight chance there will be more snow showers from Seattle southward Sunday and Monday, and then again Monday night into Tuesday, Cook said.

Even if that doesn’t occur, the snow from this weekend will likely stick around for a bit.

“It’s just going to get colder and things might refreeze,” Cook said. “It will stay cold through the weekend and into at least the middle of next week.”
Washington Governor Jay Inslee declares a state of emergency as a winter storm that could bring up to 8 inches (20 cm) of snow begins to affect the state.