(This post is now closed and Sunday morning coverage is under way; go here to see coverage from earlier Saturday – SUNDAY CLOSURES/CHANGES: Farmers’ Market canceled – No church at Westside Unitarian – Admiral Sings Christmas postponed to 12/28 – No mule rides in The Junction BUT as of right now Santa pix ARE still on – POWER OUTAGE SAFETY INFO AND READER TIPS HERE)
(photo by Tom F – that’s John Meer helping out tonight at the Holy Rosary tree lot in Admiral)
Here’s the official evening post – we’ll start with information from the 7 pm briefing expected from the city – stand by for that. Meanwhile, if you know of any additional closures/changes for tomorrow, please let us know. Mayor’s briefing under way – he says Weather Service expects winds 10 pm-1 am. That’s about it for useful info – he reiterated that all 27 of the city’s plow/sand trucks are out and working. Meantime, looks like the wind’s picked up further, at least here in Upper Fauntleroy.
7:24 PM UPDATE: Stuck head out the door (note our warning from the earlier post – the snow is blowing even onto covered porches, BEWARE unexpected slipperiness) – the wind is definitely getting stronger. Not massive trouble level yet but stronger, so now’s the time to make sure you have all that just-in-case-of-outage stuff handy.
7:44 PM UPDATE: From SDOT on Twitter: “Roads leading to Qwest Field will be plowed tomorrow to allow football fans to attend the game.”
8:55 PM UPDATE: Video’s the order of the night. Tried to get the howling wind and blowing snow on cam and the clip didn’t quite convey it. So we’re trying again. Meantime, Manuel W is out and about; he sent this link to a clip he shot in Morgan Junction about an hour and a half ago, just BEFORE the wind started revving up. Meantime, King County’s Emergency Operations Center is open too, according to a news release from the county; mostly the carbon-monoxide reminders yet again, but also a note that they’re plowing unincorporated areas. And this note about buses:
Metro Transit was able to operate much of its Saturday service on snow routing during the day, but began experiencing difficult travel conditions Saturday afternoon and evening. As conditions worsen, Metro may have to further curtail service. Metro anticipates having to significantly cut back Sunday service if road conditions are dangerous in the morning.
Also, an update on Thriftway – they did NOT close early, they’re open till midnight. And a reminder from earlier – the West Seattle Junction Association (WSB sponsor) is still planning to have Santa pix at Cupcake Royale and the holiday-cheer booth at California/Alaska, noon-4 pm tomorrow, UNLESS otherwise announced, though the draft-mule trolley rides are off (they can’t get here from Port Angeles).
If you’re not near a window – it looks like near-whiteout conditions out there. Here’s a taste of the blowing snow from a quick 9 pm walkaround:
9:42 PM UPDATE: Alma just took a walk on Alki and came back with this photo from beneath the seawall:
Listening to the scanner – which we have programmed with various county frequencies as well as city – sounds like the eastside is really having a time of it, with power outages and trees down. Nothing on the city power outage list so far. Wind still howling outside our windows, though.
10:06 PM UPDATE:Latest forecast posted — calls for “periods of snow” tomorrow — the winds aren’t supposed to get any worse than they are about now, though, but of course, take it all under advisement. Well-known meteorologist Cliff Massposted an 8:30 pm update with a chart. Reading his site’s comments, there’s a report of a 55 mph gust on Genesee Hill less than an hour ago.
FOR THE REST OF OUR AS-IT-HAPPENED COVERAGE, INCLUDING PIX, CLICK AHEAD:Read More
(This post covered morning/afternoon/early evening; go here for the rest of the night – SATURDAY CLOSURES/CHANGES: Libraries closed at 4, Community centers/pools closed at 4 – Both YMCAs closing at 5 – Kenyon Hall show postponed to 1/3 – SUNDAY CLOSURES/CHANGES: Farmers’ Market canceled – No church at Westside Unitarian – Admiral Sings Christmas postponed to 12/28 – No mule rides in The Junction BUT as of right now Santa pix ARE still on – POWER OUTAGE SAFETY INFO AND READER TIPS HERE)
(latest image from West Seattle Bridge – refresh to update it) ORIGINALLY POSTED AT 10:31 AM (post itself is retimestamped so it’s at the top of the home page): Had a request to start another post with road info etc. — so here we go. More to come; we’re back on live-update watch. Here’s some info from Seattle Parks:
Seattle Parks and Recreation’s facilities, including community centers, pools, environmental learning centers, Amy Yee Tennis Center and Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center are open until 4 p.m. today, but all regular programming has been canceled.
Public golf courses, including Jackson Park, Interbay, West Seattle and Jefferson Park are closed for golf, but are open for sledding.
Parks cautions visitors to Green Lake Park that while there is ice on the lake, it will not bear weight, and is not safe to walk on.
For more information about the center near you, please call that facility directly.
From Josh at the West Seattle Family YMCA (Triangle and Fauntleroy branches; WSB sponsor): “Both facilites are open, but Youth Basketball games are cancelled this weekend.”
11:11 AM UPDATE: The National Weather Service updated the forecast last hour. Mostly the same – snow not expected before sunset, so far, so you should have the whole day to get shopping and preparations (our “power outage advice/precautions” thread continues here) done. Here’s the NWS forecast discussion (note it pegs Sea-Tac as the northernmost point for the “heaviest snow” – since we’re not too far north of there, brace yourself).
(latest image from Fauntleroy/Alaska looking NE – refresh to update)
11:37 AM UPDATE:Minoru posts a comment from “a looooooong line” at the grocery store, and notes some items are out. If you see a delivery truck at any local supermarket, please advise!
12:53 PM UPDATE: Speaking of long lines – Arlene Carter from The Mount just called (206-293-6302, if you can’t get to e-mail, call us with tips or questions any time, it’s a mobile so we answer 24/7) — she says the line TO GET TO A CASHIER in Westwood Village Target STRETCHES ALL THE WAY DOWN THE STORE TO ELECTRONICS — Arlene says, “I have never seen anything like it in my life.” Via Twitter,Rhonda Porter (WSB sponsor) reports “QFC is a zoo.”
1 PM UPDATE: City of Seattle has posted a new news release (dated 4 pm today! may be why we haven’t received word of it by e-mail yet). Mostly recaps pre-possible-outage reminders and says in part:
“We are concerned about the possibility of some high winds hitting our service area late this afternoon,” (City Light) Superintendent Jorge Carrasco said. “We are holding some crews to be ready for what may hit us later today. Our fleet is chained up and fully equipped in order to respond to possible outages. We are prepared for the storm that will pass through the area later today. Snow is generally not a problem for power delivery, however, severe cold, ice and wind can become a problem for us.”
1:12 PM UPDATE: Hometown Holidays status for SUNDAY AFTERNOON from Susan Melrose at the West Seattle Junction Association:
For starters, the mule trolley rides are off! The commute from Port Angeles and they’re expecting a blizzard. However, the Pathfinder volunteers (wreath selling by KeyBank) couldn’t be more enthusiastic! And (musician) Patrick is eager to spin disks as long as his equipment doesn’t get damaged. We’re considering creating more of a shelter/den where people can come in from the cold and wind for coffee and a quick snuggle with the electric blanket or warm their feet by the heater.
And I just spoke with Mrs. Claus. Santa can’t wait to meet all the children who might walk, sled or ski to the Junction for a last minute visit.
As of now, our plans are to continue to host a cheery Holiday Headquarters in the midst of a snow storm, but if conditions turn to severe, we might back out early or altogether.
That’s tomorrow, noon-4 pm in The Junction (WSB sponsor). Updates as we get them (and thanks for sharing updates on other events – including church services for tomorrow – if any are canceled, let us know – editor@westseattleblog.com).
1:41 PM UPDATE: In comments, it’s pointed out that the snow has started in the South Sound. Sure LOOKS impending-snow-like out the window. Even more ominously, Scott C sent this link to KOMO radar animation (wow!) with the subject line “It’s coming.” Also, a tip from Meredith via Facebook: “If you are planning on stocking up lines at Admiral Safeway are crazy… hint, if you only have a few items, enjoy a latte and buy your few items at the Starbucks register.”
1:54 PM UPDATE: Speaking of Admiral, thanks to Cathy M. Woo for this road report:
From Admiral, up 59th to Genesee Hill is still a sheet of ice. Drivers are coming down 59th SW waaaayyy too fast and sliding into the Admiral Way intersection. Some doing 360’s at the bottom. See attached photo. Closest car has crashed into a fence. Fortunately that’s all it was. And you can see across Admiral where someone missed the right hand turn onto 59th and hit the car parked there.
Also – via Twitter, mcneight reports Les Schwab on 4th (South Seattle) “just got a load of tire chains in from Portland.”
2:26 PM UPDATE: SNOW HAS STARTED TO FALL AT WSB HQ IN UPPER FAUNTLEROY …
“Skylark is open until 7 pm tonight. Bands will be rescheduled. We have a few plans in place for Brunch tomorrow, I’ll update our myspace.com/skylarkcafe status with the latest news. Thanks to everyone who has been valiantly braving the threat of icy roads to get here for the last two days…our wonderful and attractive staff and our fabulous and discerning customers. You rock West Seattle.”
Getting more reports from all over West Seattle (and beyond) of Return of the Flakes ’08. Hope it stays light so folks can finish shopping etc. before nightfall. Should have a new forecast in an hour or so to give us some idea of when wind will be added to this – although it’s still expected to be worse in Cascades foothills, Eastside, wind-wise, than here in the central metro area, though 30 mph would be bad enough.
3:16 PM UPDATE: Field report from walk around the block. Snowing harder now. Breezy. Every single little grain is sticking, since it’s so cold. Junction TrueValue out of Ice Melt, says Alice in comments. Hope you don’t have to drive, but if you do, WSDOT tweets this advice: “If stranded tonight, move vehicle out of travel lane and use emergency flashers. Stay in car and if running, keep the tailpipe area clear.” California north from Thistle looked like this a few minutes ago, but there’s no doubt the road surface won’t be visible for long, now that it’s really coming down:
Scott C sends the crowd shot from inside Thriftway at Morgan Junction:
And he notes the slippery dangers of snow getting tracked into Rite-Aid (the one on California):
And just north of Thriftway, looking east to Fauntleroy/Morgan:
Cliff Mass notes on his site that the wind’s not here yet because this hasn’t switched over to easterly yet – that’s running later than expected, though the snow ran a bit early.
Site note: We are now re-timestamping this entry to 11:22 am so that it appears at the top of the home page. The original time, 10:31 am, is now noted at the start of this post’s text.
3:40 PM UPDATE: RealLowVibe tweeted moments ago: “plenty of candles, batteries remain at Admiral Junction Bartell’s, and a delivery guy was bringing in milk and eggs at Met Market.” You can watch citywide reports of the snow via Twitter on the Web here (if you use Twitter, send a storm-related note with the “hashtag” #seatst – for Seattle TwitterStormTeam – and the search will pick it up). Also, a road report from Scott C (who sent various photos above): “Morgan Street going east is open, had NO problems getting up the hill. Morgan Street going west has a road closed sign at 35th in front of U-Haul.”
3:57 PM UPDATE: National Weather Service midafternoon briefing called this storm “life-threatening” in some regions of Western Washington — briefing slides are posted here (highlights – temps warming tomorrow, maybe even into low 40s, but new lowland snow threat tomorrow night!).
4:06 PM UPDATE: Just got a call from Alice – library branches all closed at 4. Community centers, as we reported earlier, all closed early too. Any other reports of closures and changes welcome – editor@westseattleblog.com or 206-293-6302. ALSO – Both YMCA’s closing at 5 tonight – AND CLOSED TOMORROW. Says Josh from the Y, “Stay home and stay warm.” On the STILL HAPPENING side, we have a note that the West Seattle High School girls’ basketball game vs. Vashon at 5 pm IS STILL HAPPENING – Kim suggests “it would be a nice late-afternoon activity for those within walking distance.”
4:23 PM UPDATE: Kari at Westside Unitarian says church is canceled for tomorrow (including the solstice play) but “folks who live close by will be there with hot coffee and good conversation for anyone who wants to show up.” Website’s at www.wsuu.org. Also, from comments: Thriftway closing early, at 7 pm. We will start a list of closures/changes at the very TOP of this post so you can access them any time. No wind trouble yet BUT a reminder that King County Public Health has sent out an important info list, including how to avoid carbon-monoxide poisoning (which killed people in the 2006 power outage), with infosheets in multiple languages – here’s the link again — adding to top of post too.
4:41 PM UPDATE: Snow VERY light right now – just stepped outside for a photo of the road before it’s completely dark – this is Thistle looking east from California, you can assume any previously cleared road is now frosted from the snow that started 2 hours ago:
4:53 PM UPDATE: Just in from the city, which says this briefing will be shown live on Cable Channel 21 (we’ll watch to take notes):
As a winter storm moves in, the City of Seattle has activated its Emergency Operations Center and will provide regular updates on its storm response beginning at 5:00 p.m. today.
At 5:00, Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels will be joined by representatives from the Seattle Department of Transportation and Seattle City Light with the latest information on road conditions and power systems.
A report from WSB’er Olivia downtown: “Snow falling fast downtown. The Seattle symphony 8pm performance of The Messiah still is on, but they will let you exchange tickets for other performances – very nice and understanding. Photo from 3rd and spring.”
TO SEE THE REST OF THIS AS-IT-HAPPENED COVERAGE, WITH PHOTOS ETC., CLICK AHEAD:Read More
Via Twitter, James reported a film shoot of some kind at the West Seattle Taco Time (map). Via Facebook, Amanda reported seeing Pat Cashman and crew filming a commercial there. Not sure if they’re still there – advise if you’re in line-of-sight (or line-of-salsa), while our roving crew heads that way. 12:06 PM UPDATE: Co-publisher Patrick‘s back with the photographic proof (above). If you are new to Seattle and want to know what Pat C’s famous for – many things but most notably (to us as 1991 arrivals, anyway) the long-gone and much-missed local TV comedy show “Almost Live!” which aired on KING every Saturday night till about a decade ago. When we got here, it was our primer – and an uproarious one – to Seattle neighborhoods. Many have lost much of the character for which “Almost Live!” spoofed them but our nostalgia burns bright. Here’s a sample of Pat C’s work from AL via YouTube:
Another long-gone staple of Seattle life … the never-ending rug-shop going-out-of-business sales in Pioneer Square. Lots more “Almost Live” clips on YouTube, including the all-time favorite Ballard Driving Academy. And KING still shows re-re-re-re-runs after Saturday Night Live. The show was so hot in its heyday, KING was allowed to delay SNL a half hour to run AL first after the 11 pm news.
…A MAJOR DISRUPTIVE WINTER STORM WILL AFFECT MOST OF WESTERN WASHINGTON LATE SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SUNDAY… A STRONG FRONTAL SYSTEM WILL SPREAD PRECIPITATION INLAND OVER WESTERN WASHINGTON STARTING SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND CONTINUING THROUGH MUCH OF SUNDAY. A COMBINATION OF BLIZZARD CONDITIONS… HEAVY SNOW…STRONG WINDS AND ICE BUILDUPS ARE EXPECTED.
Still suspect that weather warning will turn out to be for naught? Don’t count on it (although this is NOT expected to be among the windiest areas). If you’ve been in West Seattle at least two years, you know what a windstorm can do. Browse back through our coverage of the December 2006 windstorm, archived here; we were just starting to cover neighborhood news at the time, so our coverage then was nothing like what it would be now, but you can still get a sense of just how serious it was. Much of West Seattle was without power for days; more than 3 days at WSB HQ in Upper Fauntleroy, though we still were lucky, losing no more than a fridge full of food and “Psycho Pleco” the pet fish, while some elsewhere lost their lives. Anyway, that whole ordeal leads us to take the prospect of wind TREMENDOUSLY seriously.
First, the official information from city webpages:
Preparation advice here
(206) 684-3000 to report non-life threatening problems with power, water, sewer or drainage
Food, shelter and other human services: 2-1-1
Falling Trees that are endangering public roadways or power lines: 206-684-8733
Roadway obstructions (SDOT): 206-386-1218
Traffic signal problems (SDOT): 386-1206
Landslides: 206-684-8950
Electrical outage hotline (after 6 pm) (Seattle City Light): 206-684-7400
Live Wire Warning
Keep your distance from any downed line. Anyone seeing a downed line should immediately report it by calling 684-3000.
Darkened Intersections
Treat all darkened intersections as a four way stop and to be cautious of drivers who may not stop.
Apartments without Fire Alarms
Apartment buildings without power for prolonged periods of time will lose their fire alarm systems and should conduct a fire watch to keep residents safe.
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Do not bring barbecue or other open flame sources into the home. The smoke from open flame indoors can lead to death or injury from carbon monoxide poisoning. For more information: www.kingcounty.gov/health.
UNOFFICIAL:
What to do about that fridge full of food, if IT happens? Red Cross tip sheet here (wish we’d had that in 12/06)
Where do you go if the power goes out and you need to warm up? WSB Forum members asked that question; so far, we do not have an official answer, but we can tell you that the city generally points people to community centers. In the 2006 outage, Delridge and Southwest Community Centers were opened as “warming centers.” Generator availability is key – we are hoping to hear from the city about which facilities have them. In the short run, in case information is impossible to come by and you just need to go SOMEWHERE, here’s the city webpage with all community centers – find your nearest one and know where it is.
Charge everything now – and have a backup for if/when that runs out. You can buy battery-powered chargers and hand-crank chargers.
As mentioned above, we lost a fish. We didn’t even think in advance about how he would be affected by loss of his tank’s heater. If you have fish, reptiles, some other kind of not-so-portable pet that requires heat, plan what you’ll do in case of an outage. There’s some fish advice here.
ADDED 11:57 AM: Thanks to Jack for generator advice:
Never back-feed a generator into your house electrical system — this means never build a male-to-male AC cable and feed the generator directly into an AC outlet –this can kill or injure line workers trying to restore power — too late now but have a transfer switch installed so that when you need a generator you can switch your house electrical system off the grid.
Never operate a generator in a building due to fire and CO hazard
Never fuel a running or hot generator — you spill the gas and you have an immediate fire
Got any tips to share, just in case? (Power outage OR “more snow,” since the latter seems to be a sure bet, even if the former is an unknown quantity at this point.)
8:30-10:30 AM, TALK VIADUCT WITH COUNCILMEMBER TOM RASMUSSEN:As explained here. Drop in to talk with him about the Alaskan Way Viaduct decision-to-be, or any other city issue, Uptown Espresso in The Junction (here’s a map).
11 AM, “HOLIDAY MAGIC AND WONDER” AT THE ADMIRAL THEATER: Have some family fun before the weather goes south – hmm, north — again. Magician Steffan Soule will appear at the Admiral Theater at 11 am today and we hear Santa’s going to be there too. Read more about the show here.
10 AM-3 PM, HELP WESTSIDE BABY! The nonprofit organization that helps hundreds of families in our area every day needs people power, if you can get to their White Center HQ to lend a hand. Repost from our afternoon-evening snow coverage yesterday, note from WestSide Baby’s Nancy Woodland – even an hour can be an amazing gift, if you can spare it today:
The weather has impacted our operations this week to a near-standstill. This is especially concerning timing with orders waiting for children expecting warm clothes and toys for Christmas. We need extra hands to help us sort the many donations we’ve received (yeah!) and to fill orders for pick up by our agency partners on Monday. We’ve been closed for most of this week but will be open on Saturday from 10 am to 3 pm for volunteers, donations and pick-ups. Although our parking lot can be treacherous we’re inviting people to make their way to White Center to help out if they are comfortable driving. Because of the volume, we’d love to have adult or experienced volunteers only so that we can make the most of the time we’ll have (today) before the snow hits again. Even an hour or two makes a huge difference.
We also plan to be open Monday 9-3 (weather permitting) and possibly on Tuesday too. Thanks so much to everyone who supports WestSide Baby!
WestSide Baby is at 10032 15th SW; 15th is one of the major roads in WC’s business district. Here’s how to get there.
We first told you two weeks ago that Fauntleroy Community Association leadership had announced Washington State Ferries officials will be in Fauntleroy January 21st for a hearing on the WSF draft long-range plan — which includes some major changes in direction for the West Seattle dock’s future, such as adding overhead passenger ramps and scrapping the idea of moving Southworth traffic to downtown. Today, WSF has issued the official news release announcing the plan and all hearings systemwide, so we wanted to make sure you saw that too:Read More
After an exhausting week of figuring out how to deal with the kind of weather we don’t often have to deal with — here’s a photo that says it all:
That’s the daughter of “Cruiser” and “Grrrltraveler” — tuckered out after a shopping trip in the snow. Everybody get some extra sleep tonight, just in case that next storm’s all it’s cracked up to be.
Some more non-snow news before we move on to the evening update: Even while the main page here was devoted mostly to weather-related news, we’ve been adding crime reports to the WSB Crime Watch page. Most of it, car break-ins, and we have another of those reports tonight from Greg:
My neighbors live at the end of 52nd Ave. SW one block south of SW Stevens St. (map) They had their SUV broken into and the stereo stolen around 2 AM on Wed. 12/17. It was an older vehicle but it had an aftermarket stereo. It was parked in the driveway in a spot not easy to see from inside the house.
If you don’t have an alarm on your vehicle, a decent one with a motion sensor costs less (installed) than your comprehensive deductible (or if you are not insured, less than a repair bill for a torn up dashboard). A flashing red LED costs almost nothing to buy and can be installed by anyone. It is a cheap and simple ploy that is better than nothing at all.
Forget “The Club”. I still see them around, but a thief with a newer high tension hacksaw can cut through your steering wheel in under a minute and pull that useless hunk of metal off.
We share crime reports from West Seattleites, as well as from official sources such as Seattle Police, in the interest of “knowledge is power” — if you know what’s happening, you have a better chance of protecting yourself and your family, and we’ve reported multiple stories in which informed, aware neighbors have helped catch criminals and solve crimes. E-mail us at editor@westseattleblog.com any time.
(***scroll down/refresh for frequent updates, in the main text below and in “comments”*** – INFO LINKS: WSB TRAFFIC PAGE WITH CAMERAS – METRO ROUTE STATUS LIST – SEA-TAC FLIGHT STATUS – COUNTY CLOSURES INCLUDING COURTS – OTHER NOTES: “PLAID TIDINGS” STILL ON – SATURDAY MAGIC SHOW AT ADMIRAL STILL ON – “ADMIRAL SINGS CHRISTMAS” FOR SUNDAY, POSTPONED TO 12/28 – WEST SEATTLE FARMERS MARKET FOR THIS SUNDAY HAS BEEN CANCELED – TODAY’S TRASH SERVICE CANCELED (DETAILS HERE ON WHAT’S NEXT – TOM RASMUSSEN’S VIADUCT CHAT STILL ON FOR 8:30-10:30 SAT MORNING AT JUNCTION UPTOWN – SAT. CHRISTMAS KEYBOARDS AT KENYON HALL POSTPONED TO 1/3/09 — please e-mail updates to editor@westseattleblog.com)
(Carryover photo from the morning – courtesy Dan – 18th/Brandon/Dawson 8″ water-main break, 50 homes without service; late-afternoon update from Dan, OPEN AGAIN)
Launching the afternoon update now. ALL MORNING INFO, INCLUDING EXCELLENT FIRSTHAND REPORTS IN THE COMMENTS SECTION, IS HERE.
1:26 PM UPDATE: From Illusions Hair Design (WSB sponsor), word that they’re in till about 3:30 pm today – had hoped to be open Sunday but with the next storm, they have revised plans and will be open TOMORROW (Saturday 12/20), 11 am-5 pm. If you have appointments in the days ahead, call 24-our line 938-3675 “to let us know if they are able to get here safely, and to leave messages if they wish to schedule appointments. We will notify those with appointments already scheduled if they need to be adjusted,” says Heather at Illusions, adding they still plan to be open 9 am-9 pm Mon-Tues, and Tues is the annual Open House with “goodies throughout the day and other fun stuff.” Then they’re closed for the holiday AFTER Tuesday 12/23, till 9 am 12/29.
Wondering about the forecast? Ricardo pointed out on partner site White Center Now that well-known meteorologist Cliff Mass has updated his prediction. And it still sounds … a bit scary. Be ready for possible power outages, in addition to the wintriness we’re all used to after the past week.
And as the afternoon progresses, new photos of major arterials are helpful for those driving home from work — we’ll start, looking north on Thistle from California:
We’re taking the mobile newsroom on the road for a while so we’ll have more road reports a bit later. Meantime, speaking of that next storm, a REALLY IMPORTANT reminder from King County Public Health:
High winds forecast this weekend may lead to power outages in some parts of King County . Given the cold temperatures, Public Health advises all residents to take steps to stay safe and warm and especially to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.
“We can’t predict which neighborhoods if any may lose power, so we want to encourage all residents of King County to have a plan about how to stay warm and safe during adverse weather,” said Dr. David Fleming, Director and Health Officer for Public Health – Seattle & King County . “If possible today, stock up on supplies you may need during the weekend and think about how you will stay warm and safe during a possible outage.”
Carbon monoxide poisoning
Carbon monoxide poisoning can kill you Avoid carbon monoxide poisoning by never using a gas or charcoal grill, hibachi, or portable propane heater to cook indoors or heat your home. Carbon monoxide gas comes from burning fuels such as gasoline, propane, oil, kerosene, natural gas, coal or wood and can cause injury or death.
· During a power outage or at any other time, do not operate fuel-powered machinery such as a generator indoors, including the garage
· Do not cook or heat with charcoal barbeques inside your home
· Avoid combustion “space heaters” unless there is an exhaust vent
Carbon monoxide poisoning can strike suddenly and without warning. In some cases, physical symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning may include splitting headache, nausea and vomiting, and lethargy and fatigue. If you believe you could be experiencing carbon monoxide poisoning, get fresh air immediately. Call for medical help from a neighbor’s home. The Fire Department will tell you when it is safe to reenter the home.
For a full list of carbon monoxide prevention tips and other safety and disaster information in English and other languages, visit www.kingcounty.gov/health/disaster.
2:10 PM UPDATE: From comments – a route that hadn’t been reported much yet:
I can see Fauntleroy traffic just north of the Ferry Dock from my window. Traffic is moving north and south at a reduced speed, thankfully, but seems to be operating without problems.
We’re in The Junction at the moment. Lots of people out. California’s a little compact snow/ice/bumpy from the bottom of the Gatewood hill toward here, but certainly passable. Just one request – once you start moving, please be slow and steady. People are pulling over thinking they’re doing the right thing, but that’s actually more dangerous, and unsettles those driving past.
2:22 PM UPDATE: Thanks SO MUCH to Alice Enevoldsen, who has taken the info that people have provided and created an UNOFFICIAL Google Map to current state of West Seattle road quality:
Here’s the link to it directly if you want to see it in the Google environment. THANKS, ALICE! And thanks to Scott C for sending this photo of the Roxbury Safeway parking lot:
WJG also sends this potentially helpful anecdote:
My wife and I came downstairs this morning to find that the furnace had shut off and the thermostat was blank (no power). I assumed that the thermostats had gone bad and needed to be replaced. I started calling around to purchase one. I called and spoke with Murphy at Brennan Heating and Air Conditioning. He suggested that I check the condensate line for the furnace. (The condensate or water is the result of combustion and may be set up to drain on the exterior of your home). Murphy explained that the condensate would freeze in the line and the backup of condensate/water would activate a sensor or switch which prevented the furnace from entering the heating cycle. After checking the line at his suggestion and spending 30 seconds with my wife’s hair dryer blowing warm air into the line, my furnace was back up and running. Again, while I hope no one else is having this problem, Murphy did say that a large number of their service calls during this cold snap could be attributed to this. He probably saved us the money I would have spent on the
thermostat and a service call.
2:39 PM UPDATE: Brief flurry here at The Junction. Meantime, SDOT says “refreezing” tonight may require “refocusing on primary roads.” And WestSide Baby needs help. This just in from Nancy Woodland:
The weather has impacted our operations this week to a near standstill.
This is especially concerning timing with orders waiting for children
expecting warm clothes and toys for Christmas. We need extra hands to help
us sort the many donations we’ve received (yeah!) and to fill orders for
pick up by our agency partners on Monday. We’ve been closed for most of
this week but will be open on Saturday from 10am to 3pm for volunteers,
donations and pick-ups. Although our parking lot can be treacherous we’re
inviting people to make their way to White Center to help out if they are
comfortable driving. Because of the volume, we’d love to have adult or
experienced volunteers only so that we can make the most of the time we’ll
have tomorrow before the snow hits again. Even an hour or two makes a huge
difference.
Because of this week’s unpredictability, please call our phone in the
morning or check our website if there is concerning weather between this
afternoon and tomorrow. Of course, today our voicemail outgoing message
isn’t working properly so we hope that will be a good tool for communication
tomorrow.
We also plan to be open Monday 9-3 (weather permitting) and possibly on
Tuesday too. Thanks so much to everyone who supports WestSide Baby!
Photo from Ann – 16th SW, looking south from SW Henderson:
3:54 PM UPDATE: Back online after a while in transit. Some updates from the road in a moment. First, the latest from Jessie at Skylark Cafe and Club (WSB sponsor) – they’re open:
We are back in business today, all employees made it in…ElodieO from NY is rescheduled from last night and is now playing tonight at 8:00 pm in addition to the scheduled acts, so if we don’t get any cancellations from other bands we will have at least two, and likely more acts tonight (up to 4). Send anyone going stir-crazy in the Delridge neighborhood our way for hearty meals and warming beverages!
Also, 18th at Brandon is open again, reports Dan, who had originally reported its closure (see photo above). Meantime, if you’re going to Westwood Village (the other 2/3 of the team are headed there now and promised to bring back a pre-dusk photo), Todd has this alert:
Just wanted to get the word out that a possible scam artist was making rounds at the Westwood QFC earlier today. A petite Asian woman with an empty shopping cart and a QFC gift card was approaching people (my fiancee included) and in very broken English asking people to pay for her groceries in exchange for her gift card. My girlfriend very politely told her that the gift card should be usable here and we went on our way, but she tried to persuade us at least two more times. It could be an actual case of the language barrier causing this woman some confusion, but it seemed really weird and not at all reasonable, especially when she became more aggressive.
Via “lasagnahog” on Twitter, an important reminder, if you haven’t thought of it already: Charge EVERYTHING today and tomorrow in case that next storm really DOES bring outages. (We have extra laptop batteries plus extra Internet access so we’ll be online – yes, we know, you might not be able to get to your computer, but even during the ’06 windstorm when comparatively few people knew about WSB, some folks called out-of-area friends/relatives and had them read the latest updates. Or you can call us – write our number down, 206-293-6302.)
4:14 PM UPDATE: Adding some photos from our recent travels. First, Thriftway/Tully’s lot in Morgan Junction has its own snow-clearing going on:
South of there, here’s the California SW hill looking south from right about Caffe Ladro:
Same hill, looking north from ABOVE Morgan Junction:
For some reason, we liked this picture of the pigeons huddled for warmth (?) over the Junction 7-11 sign:
Just noticed the old Corner Inn awnings are finally off the future Zeeks Pizza at California/Fauntleroy:
Here’s the tricorner at Erskine/Edmunds/California in The Junction (by the way, probably too late to matter now, but we discovered the WaMuJPMorganEtc drive-through had a weather closure today – walk-in bank at Cali/Oregon was open):
Not that you were likely to be traveling that far south, but we just heard via Twitter that Zoolights is canceled tonight at Point Defiance (one of our seasonal faves but we haven’t been yet).
Commute reminder: West Seattle-relevant traffic cameras (including I-5, 99, 1st So. bridge) on the WSB Traffic page.
5:31 PM UPDATE: A few more road-conditions photos before they are too outdated – they’re all predusk but in some cases that’s as little as an hour or so ago. First, our trip east on SW Trenton from 35th to Westwood Village:
Minoru photographed SW Holden and says, “This is what Holden and 28th looked like about an hour ago (looking east on Holden) — they have the “closed” sign at this intersection and at the bottom of the hill by Delridge, but a lot of people were ignoring the sign (mostly SUVs). The only cars I saw spinning wheels were front-wheel drive sedans.”
From SDOT on Twitter (twitter.com/sdotsnow, their first experiment with this increasingly popular service): “As of 5:30 p.m., major roads remain passable across the city. SDOT keeping a close eye on temps and possible refreezing.”
5:59 PM UPDATE: Another pre-dusk road-condition photo – from Arbor Heights, Julie sends this shot of SW 106th, looking toward California (map):
We’ll start the evening post within the hour, after a few more “other news” notes in separate posts.
Riders of Metro bus #54 which stops at the Fauntleroy terminal are advised of a 2 bus schedule now in effect due to inclement driving conditions. There is only one bus in each direction at this time. Passengers are advised to plan for long waits at stops along bus route 54. Smaller buses are being used for better handling and control.
TV says Puget Sound Blood Center really needs donations. Can you help? psbc.org
7:43 PM UPDATE: Since not much is happening, we’ll just keep this update going through the evening. Working on a “pre-windstorm essentials” separate writeup right now, so look for that later (as well as a couple of other standalone weather-related items). New forecast should be out in the 9 pm hour, so that’s when we’ll get the next assessment of how things are shaping up for the weekend. (It’ll be here … [added later] still on the same track as predicted earlier, snow/wind arriving late tomorrow.)
8:47 PM NOTE: Kenyon Hall has postponed tomorrow night’s Christmas Keyboards show till 8 pm Jan. 3. We are continuing to update the Holidays and Events calendars as we hear of postponements or changes, but we’ve also made notations when we know events ARE STILL HAPPENING – like tomorrow morning’s Holiday Magic show at the Admiral Theater (11 am).
10:06 PM NOTE: In the WSB Forums, a discussion’s under way about where to go if the power goes out. We’re continuing to research but have contributed a few resources. Do you have advice to share from 2006, or any other major outage? Join the conversation!
10:52 PM NOTE: Sounds like police may be checking out Charlestown hill (west of California SW) — just heard scanner chat about people possibly out there with beer and maybe even fireworks. And yes, there’s now another callout to 46th and Charlestown. By the way, as steep as that section is, it’s not the steepest – one of the top three steepest streets in Seattle is the section of Charlestown between 59th and 60th, 20 percent slope (full steepness list here). Update – fire engine there too, something about a burn barrel.
11:46 PM UPDATE: And ATV’s, too (again, per scanner). Wow, must be SOME scene over there. 46th SW/SW Charlestown seems to be the epicenter.
Caveat that this is published on a site run by a think-tank with a specific view on what should happen next in the Alaskan Way Viaduct Central Waterfront decisionmaking process, but nonetheless, since we couldn’t get to last night’s Stakeholders Advisory Committee meeting because of ongoing weather coverage, we thought you might be interested in the posting of detailed meeting notes from one member (from outside West Seattle) on the Cascadia Center website – read them here. From the WSB More page – automated news links from regional media mentioning West Seattle and related issues such as the AWV – here’s the Seattle Times article from the same meeting. That was the last scheduled stakeholders’ meeting; next, the governor, county executive, and mayor are supposed to announce their preference by year’s end. (WSB coverage of the Alaskan Way Viaduct is archived here, newest to oldest.) Reminder that City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen has offered to meet tomorrow morning to discuss The Viaduct with anyone who wants to talk about it, 8:30-10:30 am drop in at Uptown in The Junction – we are checking with him if that’s still on, given the weather situation. 1:18 PM UPDATE: Yes, Councilmember Rasmussen will still be there. So if you want to talk Viaduct – or any other city issue – he’ll be there, 8:30-10:30 am Junction Uptown tomorrow. (THEN you can go shopping BEFORE the next suspected storm hits!)
(scroll down/refresh for frequent updates, in the main text below and in “comments” – INFO LINKS: WSB TRAFFIC PAGE WITH CAMERAS – METRO ROUTE STATUS LIST – SEA-TAC FLIGHT STATUS – REGIONAL SCHOOL STATUS – we have a report of one OPEN West Seattle School, Tilden School – COUNTY CLOSURES INCLUDING COURTS – CITY LIBRARIES OPENING AT NOON – OTHER NOTES: “PLAID TIDINGS” STILL ON – SATURDAY MAGIC SHOW AT ADMIRAL STILL ON – “ADMIRAL SINGS CHRISTMAS” FOR SUNDAY, POSTPONED TO 12/28 – BOTH YMCA’S CLOSING AT 5 PM – DELRIDGE AND HIGH POINT COMMUNITY CENTERS CLOSING AT 4 PM – WEST SEATTLE FARMERS MARKET FOR THIS SUNDAY HAS BEEN CANCELED – TODAY’S TRASH SERVICE CANCELED (DETAILS HERE ON WHAT’S NEXT – DELRIDGE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES CENTER CLOSED, WEST SEATTLE OPEN – please e-mail updates to editor@westseattleblog.com)
7:06 AM UPDATE: TV says The Bridge is OK – but, say you work downtown, for example, the problem is icy streets once you get there. Here’s the bridge cam (refresh for the latest image):
Metro’s morning update includes the phrase “severely reduced service” in the headline:
King County Metro Transit continues to operate with approximately half of its regular service due to dangerous road conditions.
On Thursday, much of Metro’s and Sound Transit’s bus service in King County was temporarily suspended due to weather and road conditions, and that is the situation for Friday morning as well. Please check the Metro Online website before you leave home to see if your bus route is operating and if it is on snow routing.
Bus passengers should be aware that travel conditions can change quickly, and this list of disrupted service may be revised at any time due to weather and road conditions. In some locations, where roads are impassable for large buses, Metro will be operating chained shuttles.
In order to safely transport as many passengers as possible, Metro is focusing on providing bus service on cleared highways and arterial roads, and to major transit centers and park-and-ride lots. Access in and out of West Seattle continues to be a problem, and there will be very little service to side streets and smaller neighborhoods.
Passengers should be prepared to board buses at major transit centers, flat arterials, or at the top or bottom of hills. Please dress warmly, wear appropriate footwear, and be prepared to wait. The buses that are running are expected to be significantly delayed.
This transit plan will continue until weather and road conditions improve, which means almost all bus service will be significantly limited. Metro appreciates everyone’s patience, and reminds customers that safety for passengers and bus drivers is the agency’s No. 1 concern.
Information about bus status is available on Metro’s Ice & Snow page, but conditions are changing rapidly. You can also call the Metro Customer Information Office at (206) 553-3000, but call volumes are high and there may be a wait to talk to a CIO representative.
Here’s the link to the Ice and Snow page – long list of “temporarily suspended” routes. (But note from the comments here – some WSB’ers are seeing evidence that buses on the list might be running – you can try mybus.org to check.) We’re monitoring the scanner as well as websites, TV, and radio, for word of new trouble spots or blockages, in addition to what WSB’ers are seeing and reporting in comments and e-mail. If you live on or near a major arterial and can send a photo, we’ll post it. Here’s the text of the SDOT morning report:
SDOT crews worked on major arterial streets through the night, plowing and sanding, and they continue to revisit these streets throughout the morning. Two trucks are assigned to continuously monitor and treat the high level West Seattle Bridge, and another truck is assigned to the Alaskan Way Viaduct, to keep these structures in good condition. The on-ramp at Chelan Street to the eastbound lanes of the high level West Seattle Bridge is closed at this time.
Those who must commute this morning are advised to allow plenty of time. When driving, proceed slowly and allow plenty of room from the car in front of you. The roadways with best driving conditions will be major arterial streets.
When SDOT crews work on major arterial streets, they apply sand and de-icer to the roadway where needed, especially 200 feet in advance of intersections with traffic signals to make it easier for vehicles to stop, and also on steep hills and raised structures such as bridges and viaducts.
During the night additional trucks and drivers sanded streets adjacent to hospitals and locations requested by King County Metro Transit.
We are going to take some time to look around for any previously unknown source of reliable bus info – but in the meantime, the comments below are your best bet, and everyone who’s been out – only because you ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO, we trust – your updates are greatly appreciated. (Most unusual comment so far: Beware on I-5 of pieces of chains that have fallen off cars. Yikes!)
7:30 AM UPDATE: Just a reminder, we haven’t heard of any West Seattle schools that are open, so winter break is under way (rest of the region too). Road report via Facebook from Talani at Stor-More (WSB sponsor) on Yancy just off Avalon – yes, the phrase of the day, “sheet of ice.” Pic of Yancy, icy but people are trying it, she says:
On TV, KING promises an upcoming update on the situation at Sea-Tac (which normally would be crazy-busy the weekend before Christmas); we’ll keep watching for that too and are looking for the best online source of info. In comments, Kestrel has this plea:
Tip to homeowners: please do NOT shovel your sidewalks unless you are also going to sand or salt. The shoveled sidewalks are much more treacherous than the unshoveled ones because they become smooth compacted sheets of ice!
It’s true that snow – at least at this depth – is easier to walk in and on, traction-wise, provided you’re waterproofed knee-to-toe. Meantime, another kind of information that will be helpful today: If you are involved with an event that was scheduled for this weekend – and know for sure that it’s either STILL ON or CANCELED – please let us know. The original contacts for e-mails that came in to us to get events on the calendar will be tough to find otherwise; thanks. We won’t update our “Weekend Lineup” till we know for sure what venues’ plans are.
8:05 AM UPDATE: In comments, someone mentioned a Metro shuttle to get people to The Junction. We checked with Metro’s Linda Thielke about whether that would happen again today. Her reply:
We were running that shuttle Thursday pm with Access vans. But, we haven’t been able to do that yet this morning. We are trying to get some additional service on Route 22 from the Alaska junction only to downtown.
We have word of one school that’s OPEN – Tilden School is “open for those who can safely get (there),” per Julie Enevoldsen. 8:18 AM UPDATE: From Linda at Metro:
Look for Rt 51 to be operating Genesee Hill & California SW starting approximately 8:30. But, as with anything these last few days, the situation could change rapidly.
KING just drove onto The Bridge with its live car-cam, and looks OK, including the ramp (looked like the one from Admiral, though they didn’t pick up the picture until the start of the ramp). Again, if you can get a picture of a major arterial, please send to share. Here’s our contribution – California north from Thistle:
Similar scene looking east on Thistle from California:
Side streets that are steps away, of course, still inches of snow, though as mentioned in comments, where it’s compacted, it’s not too slick.
8:39 AM UPDATE: Southeast West Seattle road report from Jon: “Roxbury at 5th. Looking easy towards Myers Way. Plenty of cars going down the hill.” Photo:
Thanks – keep the arterial reports/photos coming at editor@westseattleblog.com Transportation update from Stephen: Microsoft Connector bus service to/from West Seattle “still not running.” Official update just in from SDOT:
Crews worked throughout the night and early this morning, plowing, sanding and applying de-icer to major arterial streets. The Chelan Street on-ramp to the eastbound lanes of the high-level West Seattle Bridge is now open. As route drivers finish primary routes this morning, they are shifting to secondary arterial streets. Due to low temperatures, crews continue monitoring the roadways and applying sand and de-icer when ice reforms.
Examples of major arterial streets are: NE Northgate Way, NE 65th Street in Wedgewood, 15th Avenue NW in Ballard, Magnolia Boulevard W on Magnolia Hill, Beacon Avenue S, 23rd Avenue S in the Central District, California Avenue SW in West Seattle, and Rainier Avenue S in Southeast Seattle.
Examples of secondary routes are: NW 80th Street in Ballard, N 50th Street in Wallingford, 10th Avenue W on Capitol Hill, E Union Street in the Central District, 15th Avenue S on Beacon Hill, and Lake Washington Boulevard S in Southeast Seattle.
SDOT crews plow loose snow to the center of the roadway to avoid blocking drains and driveways. Sand and de-icer are applied with special attention to spots where stopping is most challenging, including intersections with traffic signals, the curblanes at intersections, on steep hills, and on elevated structures such as bridges and viaducts.
Other priorities include requests from Metro Transit and hospitals and other emergency facilities.
SDOT crews are planning ahead for the weekend when more snow is forecast. When that
storm hits, crews will leave secondary arterial streets and once again focus on major arterial streets.
Police Officers position street barricades to close streets considered unsafe for driving. When SDOT crews plow, sand, and reopen a street, the signs are set aside, to be picked up by other SDOT crews. Drivers should observe the closure signs, as they are intended for their safety. If anyone notices a sign that has been knocked down or placed aside on an unserviced street, they may replace the sign themselves or call (206) 386-1218.
To report a problem area within the Seattle city limits, call (206) 386-1218, 24-hours a day. Although phones are busy, SDOT attendants will accept calls as they are able.
If you use Twitter, this info’s coming through at @sdotsnow (Web: twitter.com/sdotsnow). Meantime, here’s an example of a secondary street that’s not likely to make it onto the radar – Mary says Lander Place at Campbell Place (map) requires chains:
9:06 AM UPDATE: If you hadn’t already heard, King County Superior Court is closed both downtown and in Kent. Any hearings set for today will be rescheduled. (Thanks to Carole for sharing the info.) Will add to the ongoing links/info list at TOP of this post. Here’s something that might be handy – the WSDOT video on how to install tire chains:
9:20 AM: If you are looking to take a bus, Jon in comments reminds you to keep checking the Metro reroute page – he notes it just changed to say the 55 is now on its regular route (“with some delays”). Meantime, another arterial photo – JenV took this by C and P Coffee (which she reports is open) on California south of The Junction:
Bulletin just e-mailed by Robert: ICE MELT AT ADMIRAL SAFEWAY! He says it was abundant there and added, “Home Depot does not have any nor do they know when they WILL have any. Junction True Value will have a shipment coming in between 10 and 11.” Co-publisher Patrick is about to head north on California and will be checking on business open/closes in The Junction while out, as well as roads, but YOUR info is very helpful – all our contact info is here, let us know, even if you’re out and about and just call (206-293-6302) so we can relay to everybody else.
Thanks to Katherine for relaying word that Seattle Municipal Court is also closed except for certain custody proceedings. Marco sends word from 35th and Morgan:
Plenty of cars and so far one 128, 54, 56 and 21 Bus each, but none going downtown –
I’ve been waiting for an hour and will give up soon ;)
Photo:
Road report from co-publisher Patrick, who just drove California from Upper Fauntleroy to Admiral: It’s in good shape except some rough going with compact snow in the 3400 to 3900 blocks (a few blocks before and after Charlestown). He’s in The Junction now to check on business status for holiday shopping today. Meantime, a holiday event POSTPONEMENT:
Sunday’s ‘Admiral Sings Christmas’ has been postponed
due to weather concerns. New date: 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 28, Admiral Congregational Church, California
Ave & Hill St. (free admission)
Also, just got word from Seattle Public Utilities that TODAY’S TRASH COLLECTION ALSO IS POSTPONED. Here’s the full update:
Single-family residential garbage, recycling, food and yard
waste collection has been delayed in Seattle today, Friday, December 19,
due to dangerous road conditions. Priority commercial customers, such as
hospitals, will be served.
City collection contractors will attempt to service today’s missed
customers tomorrow, Saturday, December 20, if road conditions improve.
Customers missed today should leave their containers out tomorrow. If
materials are not collected tomorrow, then customers should bring in
their containers until next week.
Due to the Christmas holiday, Thursday and Friday customers will be
delayed one-day next week. Thursday customers will be collected Friday,
December 26, and Friday customers will be collected Saturday, December
27th.
Customers whose collections have been delayed by a week will be permitted to set out double their normal amount of garbage at no additional charge. When setting out extra waste, customers are encouraged to place perishable food items in their collection containers and set bagged non-perishable items next to the containers.
10:18 AM UPDATE: Jefferson Square, parking lot “icy/nasty” per co-publisher but most everything looks open. Junction activity pretty busy – looks like lots of folks taking advantage of snow day to shop – he’s going back along the street to see about any closures. Easy Street breakfast crowd jampacked, no surprise.
Update from Patrick, checking The Junction: LOOKS LIKE PRETTY MUCH EVERYONE IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS. Just be careful on sidewalks – some sidewalks are in better condition than others. (One such example, the sidewalk TO Jefferson Square at 42nd/Alaska, by the time/temp sign, “sheet of ice,” says Patrick, but the sidewalks in J-Square themselves are OK.) He ran into a friend of ours who lives on Beach Drive and reports that roadway is – yes – “a sheet of ice.” Photo now from WSB Forums member LG at Charlestown/53rd – looking west:
Also packed snow/ice looking the other way. Please keep sending road pix (and sledding conditions, business open/close, event changes): editor@westseattleblog.com
10:40 AM UPDATE: From Talani at Stor-More:
Avalon and Yancy Update: Cars and buses are both driving it, but we talked to one lady who waited 1.5 hours for her bus and it never came so she gave up…so buses must be getting stuck on top somewhere. There are a few cars trying Yancy and Avalon…they report to only try it if you know how to drive in the ice and snow, and said even with 4 wheel drive, they lost control once or twice this morning and spun out. The sidewalks are too treacherous for us to hike and take pictures, and we are dealing with shoveled areas on our property having turned into sheets of ice, so we are rock salting this morning again. If your question is…”Should I travel on it?” Our answer is “No”. No, you should not drive on it, or walk on it. People are trying it, as they always do, and some are making it…but even for those with 4 wheel drive AND chains, they are STILL spinning and losing control. Your safety is just not worth the risk!
Co-publisher Patrick says SW Alaska is bumpy going east of The Junction, with compact ice and snow. He’s going to see how much of Avalon he can get a look at; we don’t have a 4WD so we’re being cautious, though.
10:49 AM UPDATE: Avalon is fine from 35th down to the bottom of the hill. The only dicey spot, he reports, is between the 7-11 and Fauntleroy. 7-11 parking lot at 35th/Avalon – yes – “a sheet of ice.” Also – Seattle Public Library branches are opening at noon. And if you haven’t seen the midmorning forecast update yet, here it is — Winter Storm Watch in effect for “Saturday afternoon through late Sunday night” for the metro area. Wind and snow expected Sunday, in particular.
11:01 AM UPDATE: Before we get to then, however — so far, Dinah at The Admiral Theater tells us, THE HOLIDAY MAGIC SHOW TOMORROW IS STILL ON. If anything changes that, you will read it here; they are rehearsing right now, in fact. 11 am (should be BEFORE more bad weather), read more about it here (disclosure, they’re advertising on us to promote the show). Also, Rachel at ArtsWest says PLAID TIDINGS SHOWS ARE ON AS SCHEDULED – in her words, “the show must go on!”
11:09 AM UPDATE: Ferry closed from California, says KOMO TV reporter. (Not surprised.) Also: An icy trouble spot, and road condition, report from Dan – 18th SW is closed between Brandon and Dawson (map), and here’s why:
Looks like a house water line broke. SPU’s been on scene since at least 9:30. The unfortunate thing is that 18th SW is one of two main access routes to the area. People will need to come from the south by Sanislo school (from Sylvan Way or from 16th SW) or across 21st SW and then down the steeper part of Brandon from 21st to 18th.
As to the arterial report, SW Dawson is sanded between 21st and 16th Ave SW, so it seems passable. I don’t know about the descent to Delridge (past 22nd SW on to SW Oregon), though. 18th Ave SW is
compact snow and ice, so it’s passable, but doesn’t have the sandy goodness of the other streets.
Photo:
Side note from Patrick’s trip along California, by the way: Best-looking parking lot is at PCC.
11:35 AM UPDATE: Adding some of the photos he took – first, Jefferson Square parking lot less than an hour ago:
Same time frame, here’s 35th looking south/uphill from Avalon junction:
Walk All Ways at The Junction:
Looking north onto 42nd from Alaska:
11:50 AM UPDATE: Vickie says The Bohemian is open. Also open, the Junction and Fauntleroy YMCA branches – here’s the latest from Josh Sutton at West Seattle Family YMCA (WSB sponsor):
West Seattle Facility & Fauntleroy Facility are open with limited programs today. Both will close at 5 pm tonight.
12:01 PM UPDATE: We will launch the afternoon post somewhere around 1 pm – all additional notes will continue here till then. Just heard from Brian Judd: “High Point and Delridge Community Centers will close at 4 p.m. today. All programs, including Late Night, are canceled tonight.” We are also adding notes like that at the VERY TOP of this post, above the top photo, and will carry that over when we switch to an afternoon note (which will be preceded by at least one “other news” post).
12:18 PM UPDATE: The West Seattle Farmers’ Market has been CANCELED FOR THIS SUNDAY, 12/22.
12:22 PM UPDATE: Thanks to Matthew Lundh for these two pix of arterials – first, Charlestown looking east from 50th:
Next, Genesee looking west from 47th:
12:29 PM QUESTION: Anybody on Fauntleroy near the ferry dock/Lincoln Park? Haven’t heard a report on that yet today, and someone is asking in the comment section.
12:36 PM: Allstar Fitness is open till 3 pm, according to the comments section.
12:44 PM: Got some additional city info forwarded to us by West Seattle-residing Councilmember Tom Rasmussen. From this we learn that the Delridge Neighborhood Services Center is closed but West Seattle (in The Junction) is open. Also, a little more info on that 18th/Brandon water break mentioned (with a photo) above (this is a quote from a city emergency briefing):
There was an 8” water main break at 18th Ave SW & SW Dawson St. The concern is that is adjacent to an underground high voltage line. Currently coordinating with City Light on the issue. 50 home are without water and there is not an estimated time for restoration.
This post has ended and we have now moved to AFTERNOON UPDATES – click here to go there. Thanks!
(yes, that’s the official WSB HQ arterial-meets-arterial intersection, this time Thistle to California looking west)
Finally starting a new post. First, Friday’s KNOWN area school closures (pretty much everyone):
SEATTLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
HIGHLINE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
HOLY FAMILY SCHOOL
HOLY ROSARY SCHOOL
HOPE LUTHERAN SCHOOL
OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE SCHOOL
SEATTLE LUTHERAN HS
SOUTH SEATTLE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
VASHON SCHOOL DISTRICT
WEST SEATTLE MONTESSORI Looking for another school/district? Try SchoolReport.org
Now, the latest county transit/road alert:
King County Metro Transit continues to operate with severely reduced service this evening, while Road Services Division crews concentrate their efforts on plowing and sanding major arterials.
While the snow that fell over the county for much of the day has now moved out of the area, road and transit workers have a monumental task ahead – keeping as many roads open and people moving as possible ahead of the next storm. By Saturday afternoon, high winds, and more snow or freezing rain could present yet another major weather-related headache for residents.
On Thursday afternoon, approximately half of Metro’s and Sound Transit’s bus service in King County was temporarily suspended due to weather and road conditions. Bus passengers should assume that will be the situation for Friday morning as well. Please check the Metro Online website before you leave home to see if your bus route is operating and if it is on snow routing.
In preparation for the morning commute, King County road crews will focus on plowing and sanding major arterials and other priority snow routes such as bridges, overpasses and steep hills overnight. But motorists are being warned that these targeted response efforts do not mean that arterials will not be icy in the morning given the hard freeze that’s expected during the night. So motorists should monitor weather forecasts and traffic reports before heading out. And if you must travel, you are reminded to be prepared to drive in bad weather. That includes having good all-season tires or chains and a full tank of gas in the car.
The Department of Transportation also has a reminder for parents tonight. When the area gets significant snowfall, steep neighborhood roadways become popular sledding spots for kids. But sledding on roads is an extremely dangerous way for kids to enjoy the snow. So residents are being asked to help avoid tragic accidents by suggesting an alternative safe location for winter fun.
Motorists are advised to check out King County Road Alerts for the latest information on road closures in unincorporated King County. Residents are also encouraged to report problems on county maintained roads by calling (206) 296-8100, or 1-800-KC ROADS if they live outside the greater Seattle calling area.
9:07 PM AND SLIGHTLY BEYOND: We’re taking some time to catch up on interesting info and pix we might have missed during the fast-and-furious pace of the morning/afternoon updates, now that (we hope) everyone is safe and warm at home. We’ll share what else we come up with, such as: KOMO’s weather blog explains the “thunder snow” that started all this, so many hours ago. Also: Thanks to the people who sent sunset shots; somehow we missed that peek of sun, but Maria captured it in a Christmas-card-perfect shot:
10:36 PM: Before a few more catchup photos from this momentous day, the latest “forecast discussion” is in. By most accounts, it’ll be very cold but dry tomorrow, and that next everything-but-the-kitchen-sink storm is still skulking out there somewhere for a Saturday night-ish arrival.
CLICK AHEAD TO SEE THE REST OF OUR “AS IT HAPPENED” FRIDAY NIGHT COVERAGE (INCLUDING PHOTOS):Read More
A West Seattle Crime Watch update before we top the main page with evening updates on the weather, looking ahead to tomorrow: We have new information about law enforcers’ search for robbers who are believed to have hit at least three stores in the south West Seattle/north White Center area in the past week — stickups at Gas Depot and Lucky Seven last Thursday, and at the Country Deli this past Tuesday (WSB coverage here; map above shows the three locations). According to information forwarded by Southwest Precinct Lt. Steve Paulsen, investigators reviewing surveillance video — which has not yet been publicly released (though we have requested any available images) — say “the suspects can be seen … milling about outside for a while prior to the robberies, checking to see if any customers inside.” Investigators want to get this information to local businesspeople: If you see suspicious-looking people hanging around outside your business, call 911. Until we get visuals, all we can tell you regarding a description is what little police have shared — “possibly” Hispanic men in their “late teens/early twenties” — they have been described as wearing bandannas over their faces, and toting at least one shotgun.
Before we kick off the evening snow coverage, a couple other West Seattle news items to share, starting with the date that’s just been set for the next official public hearing about the West Seattle site that’s one of six locations under consideration for a regional misdemeanor-offender jail. As announced last month, the Highland Park Way/West Marginal Way site (Google Street View above; this area was briefly famous months ago as the original “Nickelsville”) is still on the list, which expanded when Seattle’s potential jailbuilding partners, including Bellevue and Shoreline, nominated possible sites. Now each site will be the subject of a “scoping” meeting as part of the environmental-impact review, and the West Seattle meeting is set for 6 pm January 13 at South Seattle Community College‘s Brockey Center – abundant details here. (If you need to catch up on the jail-site fight, six months of WSB coverage is archived here, newest to oldest.)
(This post is now closed, as we move on to evening updates here; our morning coverage from 5 am-1 pm is here. Recap of known FRIDAY school closures: SEATTLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, HIGHLINE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, SEATTLE LUTHERAN HS, HOLY ROSARY SCHOOL, WEST SEATTLE MONTESSORI, HOLY FAMILY, HOPE LUTHERAN ALL CANCELED FOR FRIDAY)
Time to start a new multiple-update post – the morning coverage (see it all here) reached epic length including almost 300 comments (really, more like 300 helpful reports – THANK YOU!!!! keep it coming). First info to share comes from Evan Nordby in Westwood:
Thistle between 35th and Delridge is still unplowed/unsanded. Delridge is acceptable south toward White Center… 16th/Ambaum is compact snow/ice, some evidence of plowing, minimal if any sand south to 128th. 128th is tricky over to Des Moines Memorial, and
unplowed/unsanded from there east to Military (where I rescued my girlfriend at 10:30). Measured 5″ on our deck table 5 minutes ago, at 34th and Thistle. Many if not all federal offices are closed (US District and Bankruptcy Courts, Labor, Homeland Security on Tukwila Intl. off the top of my
head)
Evan also sent a pic:
Meantime, SDOT has just reiterated: THE BRIDGE IS OPEN:
West Seattle Bridge Remains Open
SEATTLE–SDOT crews continue to plow and de-ice the high-level West Seattle Bridge today. Several on and off-ramps were closed temporarily due to accidents earlier today, but at this time we are not aware of any closures. Two SDOT trucks are devoted to providing continuous service to the West Seattle Bridge and the Alaskan Way Viaduct. The on-ramp to I-5 at Sixth Avenue South and South Spokane Street is closed at this time. In addition, 22 SDOT trucks continue to treat major arterial streets throughout the city.
Via Twitter – Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor) in the Admiral District is open, and making cocoa for customers.
12:34 PM UPDATE: From Brittany in North Delridge:
11:45 here, and still snowing! i’d say we’ve got a good 5 inches so far. wind is
blowing around like crazy, too. not many cars on the road, but neighbors are out with skis and sleds. we’re on 26th behind the community center and can see the golf course out our back windows- i imagine there will be some activity there before too long. we’re just staying warm inside for now, after some tromping around and obligatory snowball fights!
Accompanying photo:
From 47th and Edmunds (map), MP says Edmunds has become a sledding hill, and also notes the USPS is out delivering there too (hats off to the mail carriers and everyone else with a MUST-DO job today who is out there doing it):
Cami sends video from Alki (the neighborhoods just inland, not the beach itself, anyone got pix from there?):
She adds that a block party is developing nearby (56th/Lander). To recap from the morning update – Bus service this afternoon will be limited, per Metro, and West Seattle, with our wonderful hills, is a particular trouble spot. Full details here.
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In addition to the Design Review Board meeting cancellation we mentioned earlier, we have just received word that the Cooper Elementary school-closure meeting tonight IS ALSO CANCELED – no new date set yet. Seattle Public Schools also sent word that the Lowell Elementary hearing is canceled too; APP (top-level gifted program) families citywide would have been going to that one. We’ll be launching a new afternoon coverage post shortly and will recap closures and changes there too.
This picture gets its own post – thanks to Courtney, who photographed it on Kenyon between 35th and 36th. She reports, “Those are real fish in its belly.”
We have been covering cancellations, changes, delays, closures (and some of what’s OPEN) in our main weather post – but this one needed a separate note too: The Design Review Board meeting that had been scheduled tonight at Madison Middle School for two projects, 4502 42nd SW and The Kenney‘s redevelopment, IS CANCELED per city planner Michael Dorcy. We will let you know when a new date is set.
(THIS WAS THE MORNING POST – CLICK HERE FOR AFTERNOON COVERAGE. From earlier: School closures so far (as of 11:20 am): Seattle Public Schools, Holy Rosary, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Hope Lutheran, West Seattle Montessori, Holy Family in White Center, Seattle Lutheran High School, Westside School, West Seattle Christian Preschool, Shorewood Christian, elementaries in Highline Public Schools, South Seattle Community College, elementary on Vashon, all closed. School delays: Vashon middle and high schools, 2 hours late; Highline middle and high schools are 1 hour late)
Finally happened. We’re on live-update watch now. More shortly. No school changes yet; we’re watching schoolreport.org among other places.
5:29 AM UPDATE: Seattle Public Schools are CLOSED for the day. Meteorologist on the radio describes this as a “band of showers.” Driving is dangerous right now since this is fresh, buses too according to a comment that just came in. And we just had THUNDER AND LIGHTNING in Upper Fauntleroy. Holy Rosary School is closed. Our Lady of Guadalupe is closed. Vashon School District, 2 hours late. Highline Public Schools, 1 hour late. (Got a closure? E-mail us at editor@westseattleblog.com or call 206-293-6302)
5:47 AM UPDATE: Just heard a KING 5 producer on the phone on her station say she couldn’t get out of West Seattle via Delridge – undrivable at the moment – reportedly blocked by stuck buses. (We have the live bridge-cam up at the top of this post, also relisting school closures there too as they come in, as well as here in the continuing updates.) Another school delay: South Seattle Community College, 10 am start. Remember we have the bridge cam “live” pic (refresh for latest) atop this post; more West Seattle-relevant cams on our Traffic page. I-5 ramp on that page looks totally white.
5:56 AM UPDATE: Metro has updated its “adverse weather” page with bus routes that are on reroute. See the list here. It includes the 21, 22 (“not operating on 41st SW – ice” says the list), 23, 37, 53, 125, 128 (not entering the SSCC campus for those last two), and many others areawide.
6:03 AM UPDATE: Hope Lutheran School CLOSED for the day. Thanks to Chris for sending this photo of the buses in trouble on Delridge onramp to The Bridge:
West Seattle Montessori just called – CLOSED for the day, added to our running list at the TOP of this post (above the “live” bridge pic). Via Facebook (“friend” us at WS Blog), Talani at Stor-More Self-Storage (WSB sponsor) sends this photo of Avalon from Yancy (that’s the Tillicum Village HQ and gift shop in the background) and says it’s “solid white,” very treacherous:
Scanner says “it’s all turning to ice now … going to assume there will be accidents all over the place.” They can’t even get to accidents that are blocking or involve injuries, “we’re not going to car-in-the-ditch stuff” says dispatcher.
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That’s Molly Gras-Usry, one of two Cooper Elementary parents who spoke to the Seattle School Board Wednesday night during the public-comment period that started the board’s regular meeting. Tonight, Cooper has its own meeting with a district official (7 pm @ Cooper) – but Wednesday, it was a chance to address the board. The other parent to speak was Brittany Abbott, who hadn’t been on the speaker list but got the chance when an Arbor Heights Elementary parent yielded his spot. She too spoke about how, as the theme of the school’s anti-closure campaign goes, Cooper works:
One Arbor Heights parent did speak, April Bolding from the AH PTSA. Though AH is not currently on the list that’s being actively considered for closure, the two-plus-week scare jolted that school’s community into brainstorming ways they could help with the West Seattle South cluster’s capacity imbalance, and that’s what Bolding focused on:
In comments following our as-it-happened report on the board meeting, Paul Dieter pointed out other West Seattleites were there on behalf of another school that was under consideration as a candidate for closure or consolidation, The Center School, a nontraditional high school that leases space in the Center House at Seattle Center. One speaker said 17 percent of TCS students are from West Seattle. (That would be about 50; the school’s website says it has about 300 students.) That school, as it turned out, is involved in the only change that was revealed tonight regarding the proposed closure list — Superintendent Dr. Maria Goodloe-Johnson said that changes involving high schools were off the table for now, for at least a year. (The Center School and Rainier Beach High School had been the only high schools mentioned in the process.) That was the only change she announced; other than that, what she announced last week (summary here) stands, including the proposal to close the Cooper “program,” disperse its students, and move Pathfinder K-8 into the Cooper building, closing the old Genesee Hill Elementary building where the alternative school’s long been housed.
Also at the meeting: District watchdog Chris Jackins of West Seattle – who speaks at almost every meeting – again implored the district not to close any schools; district financial boss Don Kennedy recapped his recent budget report, again saying the district may wind up $37 million in the red, depending on what’s in the governor’s budget for education (she announces her budget this afternoon); chief academic officer Carla Santorno explained the “design team” concept that has come up more and more often (including in the superintendent’s radio appearance Tuesday) as the plan for helping students and staffers transition to new schools once the closure plan is finalized – the jargonistic bullet points are in this PDF of her presentation
The last section of the “superintendent’s report” was a long and fine-print-laden presentation by researcher Brad Bernatek. He is crunching numbers on “functional capacity” — which means how many students a school can REALLY hold, not just how many it should THEORETICALLY be able to hold — in a study that started just last month. Some asked at the time, shouldn’t that study have been done before district leadership started declaring some schools underenrolled and some overenrolled? Meantime, Bernatek said the data will all be ready by January 13th, leading board member Harium Martin-Morris to point out – that’s a week AFTER the final recommendations are to come out, how are we supposed to make the decision without the data? Dr. Goodloe-Johnson said there would be lots of time (16 days, to be precise, before the final vote; 9 days before the final public hearing). Again, the entire presentation can be read here.
WHAT’S NEXT: The district-organized meeting at Cooper at 7 pm tonight (listed on this page along with all other remaining community hearings); the announcement of “final recommendations” on January 6; School Board meetings Jan. 7 and 21; final public hearing (for the entire plan as it stands then) January 22; special board meeting to vote on the plan, January 29. Public comment is still being accepted by e-mail at capacity@seattleschools.org and schoolboard@seattleschools.org.
When you hear the phrase “holiday magic,” it’s usually in conjunction with some warm and fuzzy representation of sugarplums, lights, faux snow, and so on. But this Saturday morning at 11 am at the Admiral Theater — which along with presenting sponsor Metropolitan Market is advertising on WSB to get the word out — it’s Holiday Magic and Wonder with professional magician Steffan Soule (photo above) – here’s more info from The Admiral:
The show will connect all ages to genuine astonishment and even Old St. Nick is rumored to magically appear on-stage! Steffan promises; fluttering white doves will appear and disappear, an audience member will be suspended in mid-air, and other magical and mystical feats that will leave families gasping in disbelief.
Specially priced at $6.00 a ticket, the show will also benefit the West Seattle Helpline, which is looking to replenish their school supplies for their Students in Need Program. Executive Director Anna Fern is asking for basic supplies for elementary, middle and high school students such as pencils, notebook paper, crayons, colored pencils for map drawings, scissors, glue and pens. Backpacks are also much needed. After the magic show, there will be a photo opportunity for kids where parents can bring their own cameras to take pictures of their children with Santa for a suggested $1.00 donation, which will also go to the Helpline.
What a fun and inexpensive way to share the magic of the holidays with your whole family. There will be a dollar discount on each ticket with groups over 20. Group tickets must be purchased at the theater.
Soule is a seasoned children’s performer as well as an excellent entertainer of adult and corporate audiences. He performed a program of magic and music for children with The Seattle Symphony and has created educational and environmental magic shows that tour the country. He is also a favorite in school educational assemblies and supplies special arts programs to colleges, high schools as well as elementary schools.
For additional information on the 11 am Saturday (12/20) show, go to: steffansoule.com/admiral, or call 206-938-0785.
Yes, we know, ALL things are possible, including hot melted cheese falling from the sky, Elvis knocking on your door trying to sell you new windows, your next holiday card containing a winning ticket for Mega Millions. But really, the latest “forecast discussion” says city snow remains a possibility overnight, and also mentions the word “unsettled” in the same sentence as “Christmas Eve.” Be ready just for the heck of it; our neighbors with the long steep driveway already moved their cars up to level ground just in case.
Footnote: No area school changes announced so far. After today’s ultimately unnecessary closures, you can bet they are waiting till early morning for decisionmaking this time.
The other day, we got word from Hansen View Blockwatch (the neighborhood west of the Camp Long entrance) about car prowls, and linked their report to the WSB Crime Watch page since the main page here was completely caught up in weather coverage. Tonight, since weather woes are in a lull, we’re posting here that HVB has sent word of another car-prowling incident, two cars in the 5000 block of 36th (here’s a map; full report is on the HVB website).
Some more non-snow news before we move on to the evening update: Even while the main page here was devoted mostly to weather-related news, we’ve been adding crime reports to 
Yes, we know, ALL things are possible, including hot melted cheese falling from the sky, Elvis knocking on your door trying to sell you new windows, your next holiday card containing a winning ticket for
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