West Seattle Weather Watch: Snow expected TOMORROW night

The snow that stuck a bit, briefly, this morning (as shown above on SW Sullivan in Upper Fauntleroy) is gone. The major roads look great for your drive home – we just came back from downtown via The Viaduct and The Bridge, both bare and dry. But the newest “forecast discussion” from the National Weather Service says this time tomorrow, beware (caps theirs):

THE REAL SNOW EVENT BEGINS LATE TUE AFTERNOON AND EVENING AS WARM FRONTAL PRECIP OVERRUNS THE COOL AND DRY LOW LEVEL AIR MASS. PRECIP WILL BEGIN AS SNOW AND SPREAD NORTHWARD AS THE EVENING WEARS ON…POSSIBLY MAKING THE EVENING COMMUTE QUITE MESSY. AT SOME POINT…LATE TUE NIGHT OR EARLY WED MORNING…WARMER AIR WILL MOVE INLAND WITH SNOW CHANGING OVER TO RAIN. TOTAL SNOWFALL AMOUNTS ARE QUITE DIFFICULT TO NAIL DOWN…BUT JUST ABOUT ALL AREAS SHOULD SEE ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL TUE EVENING.

So unless something changes – you might plan to leave for home earlier tomorrow, but don’t assume we’ll have a “snow day” Wednesday. Meantime, the government transportation agencies are putting out their alerts – from Metro, we have this roundup of their plan to be on “snow watch”.

5:29 PM UPDATE: Seattle Public Schools has sent a “robocall” informing district families that they’ll decide by 1 pm tomorrow whether to go ahead with afterschool activities or not.

9:31 PM UPDATE: The mid-evening forecasts are out and neither one of the forecasts we regularly consult is particularly snow-laden. National Weather Service has put up a Winter Storm Watch and is suggesting maybe 1-3″ in the metro area; weather analyst Cliff Mass thinks something more like a “dusting.”

Jiggers January 10, 2011 (4:23 pm)

I wonder if Mayor McSwhinn has put in place any plans to keep the city operating if you know whats I means….

Colleen January 10, 2011 (4:27 pm)

Best weather tweet just came from WSDOT, who asked that if/when it snows, not everyone leave work at once.

Noelle January 10, 2011 (4:46 pm)

Do you think is really will snow? The weather forcast for this storm has changed more times than a teen aged girl who is getting ready to on a date!

Que January 10, 2011 (5:05 pm)

Seattle Public Schools just sent a call out to folks that because of the potential snow event tomorrow afternoon that there is a POSSIBILITY that they will have to cancel afterschool activities. They will decide and contact people by 1:00 tomorrow.

WSB January 10, 2011 (5:21 pm)

Thanks, Que, I am just in off the road and about to add that to the story, since we got the robocall too …

Noelle January 10, 2011 (5:06 pm)

I take it back! It will Snow! Its Freezing out and it has that nice Crisp smell in the air! Hopefully West Seattle will get enough to make a snowman or two!

Chuck January 10, 2011 (5:47 pm)

Remember, tomorrow night, “don’t all leave at once”. If we all get on the bus at the same time, it’ll be miserable. Also, with minimal winds, the WATER TAXI is a great option on a snowy day. Last time, it was just too windy to get Sightseer to the dock- but should be good to go for Rachel Marie.

CandrewB January 10, 2011 (6:01 pm)

I sure hope they keep the articulated buses on the streets after the snow starts sticking. Otherwise I may get home at a reasonable time.

JN January 10, 2011 (6:46 pm)

I’m going to be sure to bike to work tomorrow! During the last snow event, people on bikes were just zipping past everyone!!

panic-stricken January 10, 2011 (8:20 pm)

the sky is falling – the sky is falling! oh wait, that’s just snow.

ToddinWestwood January 10, 2011 (8:35 pm)

Soob Power!!!

pb January 10, 2011 (8:49 pm)

Hopefully we will have lots of snow. There is nothing like a blanket of snow on the ground.
;)

WSB January 10, 2011 (9:31 pm)

Sorry to say the mid-evening forecasts are out and not so snow-positive. Cliff Mass says city gets a “dusting.” NWS thinks maybe 1-3″. We’ll see! – TR

pb January 10, 2011 (8:49 pm)

Hopefully we will have lots of snow. There is nothing like a blanket of snow on the ground.
;)

JH January 10, 2011 (10:12 pm)

Cliff Mass had it completely wrong the last time!

Brad Fletcher January 10, 2011 (10:32 pm)

Boy, those articulated buses are great in the snow. Get one of them sideways and no one gets home. You would think the city would have the since to park them for the afternoon. But, I Bet they don’t!! At what time does the great walk from downtown to West Seattle begin… I know the WSB will be there to report as they are all crossing over the low level bridge on their hike home in the snow tomorrow. Remember to pack those boots, gloves and a hat tomorrow, you may need them. We Love You WSB !!

WSB January 10, 2011 (10:34 pm)

Good point, Brad – here’s hoping we don’t have a rerun of that this time. Maybe a nice blast of snow everybody can watch from home from 7 to 9 pm or so (well, everybody except swing-shift workers, and I know how that goes, having worked every shift on the clock) …

loves2teach January 11, 2011 (7:29 am)

I was one of those great walkers home and I am SO ready for this bout of snow! Of course, that means that nothing will happen on my commute home! (I hope…)

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