West Seattle Weather Watch: New snow warning; transit advisories

(WEDNESDAY MORNING NOTE: The storm warning was slightly amended late last night but is still in effect; see the new version here.)

(Photo taken 6:25 pm, sleet/hail/ice pellets/etc. still on the ground outside Southwest Precinct)
5:23 PM: As another brief shower of sleet/hail/ice pellets/snow/etc. passes through, the major transportation agencies are ending the day with advisories to be ready for anything tomorrow. Here’s the Metro advisory; here’s the Sound Transit advisory. But at this point, those are mostly intended for tomorrow morning; we’re not expected to get major snow in West Seattle tonight (we’ll update, of course, if that changes, and thanks in advance for sharing news of what you’re seeing where you are). The National Weather Service has raised the alert level to “Winter Storm Warning,” though, with this declaration:

A DEEPENING UPPER LEVEL LOW COMBINED WITH ARCTIC HIGH PRESSURE THAT WILL BE MOVING INTO THE AREA FROM THE NORTH WILL GIVE SNOW LATE TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY TO ALL OF WESTERN WASHINGTON… INCLUDING THE LOWLANDS.

5:40 PM UPDATE: From the mayor’s office:

The latest weather forecasts call for snowfall of 2 to 6 inches beginning Wednesday afternoon, followed by freezing temperatures through the end of the week. That pattern is very similar to the snowstorm that hit Seattle during Thanksgiving week last year. While we learned a lot and made improvements following that storm, it’s impossible to predict exactly where and how this week’s storm will hit hardest.

With that in mind, we are activating the city’s snow and ice plan. The Seattle Department of Transportation began by pre-treating streets with anti-icing solution today. Crews will go to 24-hour work shifts beginning Wednesday morning. Because Wednesday afternoon’s commute is expected to be difficult, it may be a good day to work an alternate shift, telecommute or make other travel arrangements if possible.

5:48 PM UPDATE: And SDOT is out with its own statement, including snow-plan specifics:

The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) is gearing up for snow expected to arrive in the Seattle area on Wednesday, February 23. As of 4 a.m., ten snow plows will hit the streets in the north sector of Seattle and eight plows will move into action in the south sector. Starting at 9 a.m., SDOT will go into a full 24-hour response plan to keep roads open, buses moving and critical emergency services accessible.

The response plan calls for deploying 30 trucks with plows, which will be prepositioned throughout the city in key locations such as elevated structures and certain trouble spots on major arterials. The department starting pre-treating major roadways with salt brine this afternoon in preparation for the storm. Additional details concerning SDOT’s response will be forthcoming as more information about the impending storm becomes available.

Motorists are advised to use caution when driving in snow and ice, especially on Seattle’s many hills and bridges. For up-to-date information on the City’s response and roadway conditions, please visit: http://Seattle.gov/transportation/. Motorists can also check on current traffic conditions and roadway images on SDOT’s Traveler’s Map.

As a reminder, property owners are responsible for clearing sidewalks adjacent to their properties after a snowstorm. SDOT encourages residents and businesses to have snow shovels and materials on-hand to keep walkways clear and safe for pedestrians.

JayDee February 22, 2011 (6:20 pm)

I am always tickled by the reminder to clear our sidewalks ever since Mayor Nickel’s debacle in 2008. Yeah, right, as soon as you plow the street in front of the house.
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But this will likely start an argument between those who think a shoveled and icy sidewalk is preferable on hills to “native” compacted snow. I still think #2 is preferable–unlike the Midwest or east, we often go above freezing during the day during a cold snap letting water run across the sidewalk only to re-freeze at night. If we had dry powdery snow and sub-freezing temps, the requirement might make sense–any progress made shoveling would not be countered by frozen meltwater. My two cents.

Right On February 22, 2011 (7:06 pm)

I wish people would just get over the fact that it was not the city’s fault that we were hit with a snow storm NO ONE could have predicted. We are a city that doesn’t get the type of weather we experienced last year, the year before or even the one in 1990!
I didn’t like Nickels any more than the next guy, but our whining and pointing the finger has gotten so old it’s embarrassing. Damned if we do. Damned if we don’t. Give it a rest and take responsibly for yourself and help your neighbor in the process. The city of Seattle, or any other city in this country, can not possibly babysit it’s citizens.

JayDee February 22, 2011 (7:23 pm)

Right On:

I am merely raising the question, regardless of the law, what is the best solution? When I walk down a snow-covered hill, walking on compacted snow is better than ice IMHO. Once it starts to melt, the inverse is true. So as a home owner I prefer to wait until the balance shifts to melting over ice. Creating an ice-rink on an incline is not safe. But, I could be biased since I’d have to keep shoveling or risk being fined.

I am not blaming the long-departed Nickels; what is the best solution, not just the one that is easier?

just sayin' February 22, 2011 (9:06 pm)

I lived on a hill just outside of Boston before moving here. Shoving sooner is better. If you shovel wide enough, it does not create a stream and refreeze – it actually dries. Crusty uneven snow is dangerous for everyone. It’s not like we have FEET of snow and no place to put it.

redblack February 23, 2011 (1:16 am)

jaydee: put copper pipes in your sidewalk, run hot water through them, keep the sidewalk warm and dry, and save your back.
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it’s eco-friendly (no harsh chemical de-icers running off into the sound) and it flushes out your hot water tank.
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all right, so maybe it wastes water…
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hmm. back to the drawing board.

miws February 23, 2011 (8:42 am)

redblack, if the yard has a recirculating water feature, skip the part of the hot water tank as the source, install something between the water feature and sidewalk to heat the water, then run it back to the water feature, in some way that cools the water down, but does not freeze it. If there are fish or other live critters, devise some way to reduce and keep the water at a proper/safe temp for them.

Mike

Jet City February 23, 2011 (10:01 am)

JayDee, You raise a good point about homeowners potentially creating dangerous, ice-covered sidewalks by removing the snow. However, it’s not an either-or choice: the requirement is to keep sidewalks clear and safe of both snow AND ice. So we should all be ready with shovels, brooms, sand and whatever the fish-friendly de-icer is these days.
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Here’s the Seattle Municipal Code:
SMC 15.48.010 Snow and ice removal.

It is the responsibility of the owner or occupant of private property to remove snow and ice on the sidewalks abutting his or her property in a timely manner and, if practical, prevent its becoming or remaining in an icy, ridged, uneven or humped condition or in a condition which is potentially hazardous to users of the public sidewalks.

Click here for a definition of graupel. February 23, 2011 (10:07 pm)

The meteorological term for “sleet/hail/ice pellets/snow/etc.” is graupel.

WSB February 23, 2011 (10:10 pm)

Have used that one too, though it’s the least colloquial of the bunch. It’s not all been “graupel” that we’ve seen over the past few days … so I’ve thrown out the catch-all.

Sorry, comment time is over.