UPDATE: DAY 3 — Overnight snow misses Seattle — UPDATE: Wednesday afternoon flurries

(Image: Alex Garland for CHS)

DAY 2 REPORT: It could be fitting that we haven’t given this Seattle ice storm a name yet — the most interesting days may be yet to come.

With area schools again on two-hour delays and an icy start to the morning underway, the National Weather Service said early Tuesday that the latest forecast information shows “major changes” coming and a possible burst of heavy snow around Seattle Tuesday night.

The level of uncertainty is high. What is known is that, after smaller snow showers through the day, a “a band of heavy snowfall is likely to develop over the Olympic Peninsula and Puget Sound this evening and move north into Canada overnight/Wednesday morning.” What is possible? Anywhere from 1″ to 6″ of snow here in Seattle if things shift even slightly in the hours following the Tuesday night commute:

6Z model runs aren`t all the way in, but a quick peek suggests the trend is even a bit further south of the 00Z runs which obviously has implications for the Seattle metro area. As the band lifts north, locations could see a pretty good burst of moderate to heavy snowfall. This would have substantial impacts to travel. Have upped precipitation amounts and resulting snow forecasts but amounts could be higher than currently indicated, especially in favored upslope areas along the Strait and if the band starts out further south.

MAJOR CHANGES
*Band of heavy snow is likely to develop over the Olympic Peninsula & Puget Sound this evening & move N tonight
*At this time it appears most snow will fall after the evening commute

IMPACTS
*Tree damage, power outages, & travel impacts tonight & WED morning#wawx pic.twitter.com/ZmdZO6rhKs

— NWS Seattle (@NWSSeattle) January 14, 2020

Oh, and Wednesday night will also bring some high winds to the area — though mostly to the east.

That’s what we don’t know. For now, what we do, is that Seattle Public Schools, Seattle Central College, and most area schools are on delays again Tuesday due to freezing, icy conditions on the area’s streets and sidewalks. Monday night, black ice on SR 520 caused crashes involving around 30 vehicles in a chain-reaction set of collisions. Capitol Hill area streets remain in better shape, for the most part, with arteries continuing to receive heavy de-icing treatment from the city and side streets only dusted with snow and ice. Metro routes, for now, are reportedly on their regular paths.

Meanwhile, Broadway businesses are trying to do their part in keeping the sidewalks safe and passable.

“The Mayor reminded everyone a couple of days ago that every RESIDENT and every BUSINESS is responsible for clearing snow and ice from the walkway in front of your house or building. Keep that in mind over the next couple of days and please do your part,” a Monday night message from Broadway Business Improvement Area head Egan Orion reads. “We also hired Recology–using your contributions to the Broadway BIA–to augment this effort with snow melt all along Broadway. Together, we can create safe sidewalks for everyone to keep business moving! They will be out tomorrow with snow melt so keep an eye out for your rate-payer dollars at work.”

Other services, so far, continue to be available around Capitol Hill though Seattle Public Utilities has said garbage, recycle, and yard waste collection is delayed in some neighborhoods including “steep blocks in Queen Anne, Magnolia, Maple Leaf and Wedgewood areas,”

Snowing on Hill again pic.twitter.com/qifWwJkPrB

— jseattle (@jseattle) January 13, 2020

Day 1 Coverage: A blizzard of information as Seattle prepares for ‘a chance of snow’ / Day 2 Coverage: Capitol Hill begins chilly week with light snow and ice

• • SDOT’s storm response map shows closures and what streets have most recently been cleared
  • The city’s “green and gold” snow clearance priority routes are here:
    

    
  • The City has also produced this new Winter Weather brochure that it is making available at schools and libraries:
    

    

    

    
  • Metro’s snow and winter weather updates 
  • Capitol Hill Station and the First Hill Streetcar are fully operational
  • Seattle has been doing more to remind that clearing sidewalks of snow and ice in front of buildings and residences is the property owner’s responsibility
  • Public schools: You can find closure alerts here
  • Airport: The FAA’s Sea-Tac status page is here.

• You can also check the CHS Street Cams page before you head out. And the CHS Weather page has the latest reports from local observations. See something others should know about? Email CHS or call/txt (206) 399-5959.

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