Tumbleweeds trap cars on Washington state highway

Some people spent part of their New Year's Eve trapped in tumbleweeds. The state patrol said vehicles were trapped on a Washington state highway in a pile of tumbleweeds that stood up to 30 feet tall in some places. 

"People were still stuck at midnight and rung in the new year trapped under the weeds," trooper Chris Thorson said.

The Washington State Patrol announced on Twitter at about 6:30 p.m. on December 31 that State Route 240 was closed in both directions near West Richland. The state Department of Transportation used snowplows to clear the scene.

Thorson said it took about 10 hours to clear the road, which opened again around 4:30 a.m. Wednesday.

In total, five cars and one 18-wheel semi-truck were trapped. No injuries were reported.