国际英语新闻:U.S. school closures ordered for Monday due to heavy snowstorm

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Many schools in the U.S. state of Washington have been ordered to be closed for next Monday's school day as a result of heavy snowstorms that swept the state over the weekend, the news outlet KEPR TV in Washington said Sunday.

There will be no preschool classes, and all other activities in some schools and colleges involving events, athletic practices, fitness centers and even library use will be canceled, the TV said.

Heavy snow covered Washington beginning Friday and into Saturday, and the National Weather Service said the unusual winter weather brought some areas around Seattle more than 10 inches of snow on Saturday, "the most in February in 70 years."

Washington State Department has closed major roads overnight because of blowing and drifting snow, KEPR TV said.

Washington Trooper Thorson tweeted Saturday that hundreds of cars were stranded near the state's I-82 highway and Coffin road in Benton County after a large injury collision piled up earlier in the day.

Washington Governor Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency for the state in anticipation of the upcoming storm weather on Friday.

"I have declared a state of emergency in preparation for this #wasnow winter storm. Everyone in WA needs to focus on preparing for the snow and staying safe," he tweeted.