West Seattle, Washington
18 Thursday
Here’s the official announcement of today’s cancellation, plus delays for the rest of the week, from Seattle Public Utilities:
Due to winter weather conditions, there will be no residential garbage, recycling, or food/yard waste pickup in Seattle today, Wednesday, February 5, 2025. SPU’s North and South transfer stations will open at 10 a.m. today.
Weather and road conditions permitting, garbage, recycling, and food/yard waste service will resume Thursday, February 6, on a revised schedule — with customers scheduled for pickup today, Wednesday, February 5, collected tomorrow. All remaining residential services will be delayed one day this week. For example, if your regular collection day is Friday, your garbage, recycling, and food/yard waste will be collected on Saturday this week. Customers should be sure to have their containers out by 7 a.m. to ensure collection.
If your materials are not picked up by the end of the following day, please put them out on your next regularly scheduled pickup day. Customers missed this week will be allowed to set out twice their normal amount of garbage, recycling, and yard waste at no additional charge, on their next scheduled collection day.
(“Live” SDOT camera image near Louisa Boren STEM K-8)
After some snowfall these past few hours, we’ve got news of school changes for today (Wednesday, February 5), and are updating as we get more:
SEATTLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Remote instruction today, 2-hour late start. Here’s the full announcement for SPS:
Due to snow and hazardous road conditions, all schools will be in remote instruction today, Feb. 5, with a two-hour delay. Buildings will be closed, and there will be no in-person instruction. This includes preschool and Head Start. (PreK and Head Start will not have remote learning). Schools will end at the standard early release time. Families should expect instructions from your student’s school. Please ensure their SPS electronic device is prepped and ready for learning. Morning and afternoon activities are canceled, as well as all athletic events.
(updated 6:08 am) VASHON ISLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT: Plan changed – closed today.
(added 5:26 am) HIGHLINE PUBLIC SCHOOLS: All schools closed today.
(added 5:39 am) SUMMIT ATLAS: Closed today.
(added 6:23 am) HOLY ROSARY CATHOLIC SCHOOL: Plan changed – closed today.
(added 5:43 am) TILDEN SCHOOL: Closed today.
(updated 8:05 am) SOUTH SEATTLE COLLEGE: Plan changed – closed today.
(added 5:48 am) HOPE LUTHERAN SCHOOL: Closed today.
(added 5:58 am) HOLY FAMILY BILINGUAL CATHOLIC SCHOOL: Closed today.
(added 5:58 am) KENNEDY CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL: Closed today.
(added 5:58 am) EXPLORER WEST MIDDLE SCHOOL: Closed today.
(added 6:10 am) OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE CATHOLIC SCHOOL: Closed today, no EDC/ELC.
(added 6:11 am) WESTSIDE SCHOOL: Closed today.
(added 8:05 am) BRIDGE SCHOOL COOPERATIVE ELEMENTARY: Closed today; community meeting canceled.
School changes can be texted/called to us at 206-293-6302.
Other snow-related updates:
WEATHER INFO
Winter Weather Advisory now in effect until 10 am Thursday. Up to two inches of snow; temperatures in the 30s.
TRANSIT INFO
Metro – Check metrowinter.com for changes in our area; all buses in East King County zone are now on snow routing.
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS
High Bridge – Here’s the main camera, followed by the Fauntleroy-end camera:
Spokane Street Viaduct – This view usually looks westward, with eastbound lanes at left and westbound lanes at right:
Low Bridge – Looking west:
1st Avenue South Bridge:
Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Genesee), cameras are also at Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Henderson, Delridge/Oregon, and video-only (so you have to go to the map), Delridge/Holden and Delridge/Thistle.
MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: All functioning traffic cams citywide are here (including links to live video for most); for a quick scan of West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras, see this WSB page.
ALSO OF NOTE: SDOT’s winter-response map
We already have word of some school changes for Tuesday because of the potentially snowy weather, so we’ll start the list here and update it with whatever else we hear.
HOPE LUTHERAN SCHOOL: 2-hour late start Tuesday. No morning, ESC, or half-day preschool; school will start at 10:30 am.
VASHON ISLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT: 1.5-hour late start Tuesday; see district website pop-up for other effects.
KENNEDY HIGH SCHOOL: 2-hour late start (10 am); see district website pop-up for details.
SOUTH SEATTLE COLLEGE: Late start of 10 am for Tuesday. All classes and activities before 10 am are canceled.
.HOLY FAMILY: 2-hour late start
HIGHLINE PUBLIC SCHOOLS: 2 hours late.
Others? Please text or call 206-293-6302, or email westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
The National Weather Service has finally issued an alert after all these days of forecasts with the potential for some snow. A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect until 10 am tomorrow, with the NWS saying we could get up to two inches of snow. As always, we’ll cover the weather plus school and traffic info – 206-293-6302, voice or text, is the best way to let us know what’s happening where you’re at.
The second wave of snow showers was even shorter than the first, but some nearby areas are experiencing – and/or expecting – weather wintry enough that they’ve announced school changes for Monday. Here’s what we have so far:
HIGHLINE PUBLIC SCHOOLS: The district that includes White Center and points south will start 2 hours late on Monday. Full details here.
VASHON ISLAND PUBLIC SCHOOLS: The district with hundreds of students from West Seattle will start 1 1/2 hours late on Monday.
SUMMIT ATLAS: We haven’t reached the school to confirm this yet but a parent says the charter middle/high school in Arbor Heights is starting 2 hours late on Monday.
(added) KENNEDY HS: Also starting 2 hours late.
(added) HOLY FAMILY BILINGUAL CATHOLIC SCHOOL: Closed today.
(added) SOUTH SEATTLE COLLEGE: Just received at 5 pm:
South Seattle College Alert: Due to winter weather, all classes and activities starting at 6 PM or later on Monday, February 3 are cancelled. We will also have a late start of 10 AM on Tuesday, February 4. All classes and activities prior to 10AM are cancelled.
Got a school change or closure? Please text or call us, 206-293-6302.
After a showerless afternoon … the snow’s back, at least here in Upper Fauntleroy. Still no advisories for the city in general, West Seattle or otherwise, but the forecast has snow showers possible in every daypart for the next few days, and temperatures are not expected to get out of the 30s.
(INFOLINKS: West Seattle traffic cams … SDOT’s citywide camera map … SDOT’s winter-response map … Metro advisories)
9:41 AM: Serious snow shower right now in Upper Fauntleroy. That’s what the forecast is suggesting for our area today – still no official weather alert for Seattle, though, and no major accumulation is expected, but this one is heavy enough that the dusting is already sticking on the ground.
And on the roads, at least in the higher areas!
9:56 AM: And elsewhere. Sam from Sylvan Way says drivers are already getting stuck on the hill east of The Home Depot (she sent the photo above). … And moments later, the snow stopped, for now.
10:58 AM: Metro has sent alerts that Route 125 is routed off 16th SW between Austin and Oregon because of road conditions. We’re adding the Metro status link to our infolinks atop this story – though we’re in a break now, radar suggests more on the way.
11:23 AM: Metro says the 125 has resumed regular routing.
9:41 AM: For days now, forecasters have been dangling the possibility of a little snow here in the “lowlands.” And just now, as we started to write a “no sightings yet” story, a flurry showed up here in Upper Fauntleroy. No alerts yet but snowflakes are featured daily/nightly in the official National Weather Service forecast for the next several days and nights, so keep your snow-related gear on standby.
10:21 AM: Sunshine has since shown up too.
12:20 PM: Intense squall moved through Admiral a short time ago and the ground was coated.
12:59 PM: Thanks to commenter Oriana for that photo showing what happened after the ice (not snow) squall went through. We were covering the Washington State Black Legacy Institute event, outdoors, and will add video of how it was so intense, it chased everyone indoors.
(File photo from past ‘king tide,’ by David Hutchinson at Alki)
While most are focusing on the possibility of snow this weekend (no alerts yet!), it’s also of note that Sunday will be one of three days this year with the highest predicted high tide – 12.9 feet – one of the so-called “king tides.” That’s what’s expected at 7:42 am Sunday (February 2), as well as on the mornings of December 6-7. Will that truly be the year’s highest tide? Shore-watchers know that atmospheric conditions can affect what actually happens; you can track the actual water levels via this page, which you can always find linked from the WSB West Seattle Weather page.
Thanks to Chris Frankovich for the photo! We’ve been mentioning all week in the WSB morning weather/traffic roundups that tonight would be the night with the year’s first 5 pm sunset. Looking ahead – the first 6 pm sunset will be on March 5, four days before we “spring forward” an hour, pushing the sunset past 7 pm.
(Photo by Victoria Gnatoka)
Thanks for the photos! In case you didn’t have a southwestward view to see this firsthand … Sunday ended beautifully.
(Photo by Karen Christenson)
(Photo by James Bratsanos)
(If part of the sky stays clear into the night, you can planet-gaze, too.)
Not only did the sun make a grand appearance today, it exited in style, about half an hour ago. Thanks for the photos! Above is from Beth Jackson; below, from Carol Ann Joyce:
And this one’s from John-Michael Bennett III:
The peak splash of pink was just before 5 pm, though the official sunset time was 4:36 pm. (It’ll be 5 pm on January 25!)
(Tan color means “wind advisory”; see the legend for the rest here)
The National Weather Service has expanded its Wind Advisory alert to include our area, but the expected burst of strong wind is not likely to interfere with Christmas and Hanukkah celebrations tonight unless yours is planned to happen VERY late. The advisory will be in effect 11 pm to 10 am, and the NWS says, “A brief period of gusty southwest winds (is) expected Thursday morning. There will likely be a range of peak wind gusts between 30 to 50 MPH. Localized gusts up to 55 MPH are possible.” Otherwise, the sustained winds are expected to be out of the southwest, 15 to 25 mph. If you experience or see wind-related trouble – outages, downed trees, etc. – once you’ve reported to authorities (206-684-3000 for City Light, 206-386-1218 for SDOT if streets/sidewalks/paths are blocked), please text us at 206-293-6302 if you can do so safely; thank you!
Thanks for the photos! Before we head over to the winter-solstice sunset watch (yes, it’s on), the first rainbows of the season (which officially changed at 1:20 am today). The photo above is from Jerry Simmons; this next one, from a texter:
And from KT in White Center:
Thanks for the photos! Wind and other atmospheric conditions pushed this morning’s “king tide” up onto the beach and boardwalk at Alki. The first three photos are from David Hutchinson.
Alki Bathhouse and Statue of Liberty Plaza had been sandbagged in anticipation of this possibility. The next photo was texted anonymously, from further east along the sand:
This NOAA page (linked on the WSB West Seattle Weather page any time you want to find it) shows the high tide water level was actually about a foot and a half higher than the basic projection.
8:34 PM: Check to be sure you have everything charged up – as of the top of the hour, we’re under a Wind Advisory alert, until 4 am: “South winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 45 mph expected.” Wind out of the south has been the culprit in many local power outages, so you’ll want to be ready.
1:40 AM: A little over two hours left in the advisory period, and – for once – no major wind so far.
5:30 AM: The advisory has been extended until 7 am, Meantime, there’s a 300+-customer power outage centered on Puget Ridge.
The wind alert has expired and the weather looks to be calmer for at least a few hours. Thanks to everyone who sent photos – above, from David Hutchinson; below, from James Bratsanos:
And the Elliott Bay rainbow’s full arc, from Stewart L.:
(added) Eugene Lee sent this photo of wave action at Emma Schmitz Memorial Overlook:
The major forecast factors for the days ahead, so far, seem to be rain, rain, and more rain – intermittently.
9:36 AM: Thanks to Laurel at Ounces in North Delridge for the photo – that tree down along the Delridge entrance to the eastbound West Seattle Bridge is one of multiple trees brought down by this morning’s gusty winds. We’ve had a report from Admiral Way’s south hill, too. The National Weather Service has a Wind Advisory alert in effect for our area until 4 pm today, expecting “south winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 45 mph.” No new West Seattle outages mapped by City Light so far but that last group of 146 from Thursday night’s outage is still without electricity. Scott sent this photo of crews working in the area:
If you experience or see weather-related trouble, please call or text our hotline, 206-293-6302 (once you’re sure the appropriate authorities know – if a tree or other debris is blocking a street or sidewalk, for example, SDOT’s after-hours number is 206-386-1218) – thank you!
9:49 AM: And now, a big power outage. Almost 7,000 customers; map screenshot added above. Thanks for the texts/tips. This time some signalized intersections such as 35th/Avalon and 35th/Fauntleroy are involved – remember dark signals = 4-way stops. Parts of Alki and Genesee that got hit in Thursday’s outage are out again, as is a stretch of Delridge, among other mapped spots that are out. We don’t know the epicenter of this one yet – let us know if you see City Light crews.
10:19 AM: If you look at the outage map, this seems to have spared the business districts, which have a variety of events today, but please let us know if you encounter any changes at any place on today’s (big) list. Meantime, while City Light’s map projects afternoon restoration, PLEASE REMEMBER that their estimates are just wild guesses at this point, COULD be much sooner, COULD be much later. Among other things, don’t open your fridge/freezer – what’s in it/them will last longer.
10:24 AM: And in fact, some are reporting their power is back. Avalon area, for starters. The map may not catch up for a bit. … Map now shows almost everyone restored from this outage (but not that 146-customer South Alki pocket from Thursday night).
10:33 AM: Thanks to everyone who’s sent rainbow photos, in the meantime – sightings from Alki to Fauntleroy. The one above this line is from John-Michael Bennett III. (Added) Below is a photo texted from Fauntleroy, where the ferries have been battling those south winds:
10:48 AM: Now the rain’s moved back in, at least here in Upper Fauntleroy. We’re also still hearing dispatches for various trouble spots – a tree down on 34th in Sunrise Heights, wires down on 51st in Brace Point.
11:56 AM: Though the power’s back, a reader says it’s left the Junction post office cash-only.
4:22 PM: Looking at City Light’s map, looks like the South Alki 146 finally got their power back sometime this afternoon, before hitting 48 unpowered hours.
If you have a view to the southwest, go see the waxing crescent moon! Christine K caught it – along with West Seattle and beyond – while landing about half an hour ago. Cold night ahead – forecast says we could drop into the upper 20s.
Thanks for the photos! Saturday’s sunshine concluded with another sunset spectacle. The photo above is from Lael; the one below is from Gene Pavola:
From Brooke Gosztola:
And a panorama from John-Michael Bennett III:
From sunset colors to breaking news, we always appreciate your photos – westseattleblog@gmail.com or texted to 206-293-6302 – thank you!
ADDED: Trileigh Tucker photographed what looked like a knighting at Lowman Beach:
Just one week now until the earliest sunset of the winter – 4:17 pm on December 7th. It stays there for a week, then starts moving ahead with a 4:18 pm sunset on December 14th.
Thanks to David Hutchinson for the photo! In case you missed it while in the kitchen or at the table, that’s how our sunnier-than-forecast Thanksgiving Day ended a little more than an hour ago. Temps are expected to drop into the 30s again tonight, with patchy fog returning tomorrow (same way today started, before the sunshine took over).
(WSB photo)
Remember the giant tree that fell across Walnut Avenue in South Admiral during Tuesday’s windstorm? We believe it’s the biggest one that came down; the photo above is all we saw left of it this afternoon. Here’s what it looked like right after the storm:
A neighbor told us work to remove it was finally under way last night, and she believed the nearby residents who were without power for days had been restored too. The Seattle City Light map is finally without West Seattle outages and shows fewer than 800 customers still out systemwide.
(WSB photo, this afternoon)
On the second day after the windstorm, some effects linger – like that huge tree across Walnut Avenue south of Hanford, with vehicles stuck beneath its branches and utility-pole damage nearby; we photographed it a few hours ago. But there’s good news for some who have been without power since Tuesday night’s storm – via comments, residents of west Charlestown/Genesee Hill say they finally have electricity again. Commenter GHMike reported:
Power was restored around 3:30 PM for the area on Genesee Hill involving 155 residents on 52nd SW and 53rd SW. between Andover and Schmitz Park(and surrounding area). Looks like crew trucks are working on the area involving 55 residents in the adjacent area between Andover and Genesee on 52nd Ave., SW and 53rd Ave., SW (which was the first reported outage on Tuesday evening on Genesee Hill).
City Light‘s map shows a little over 6,000 customers still without power, down from a six-digit total at the peak of Tuesday night’s storm. The utility says it still has “dozens of crews” in the field working on restoration.
Meantime, you might have heard some talk of another storm on the way tomorrow. There’s no alert for our area right now, but the forecast calls for “breezy” conditions, south/southeast winds possibly gustings into the 30s – considerably less powerful than what blew through Tuesday.
| 19 COMMENTS