(SCROLL DOWN for more photos (even video) added Friday evening)

FIRST INSTALLMENT, 11:41 AM: As forecast, it’s looking like the snow will be gone in a matter of hours. But people are having fun in the meantime, and here are some of the photos sent to us to share with you! Above, Wendy photographed a waterfront snowbuilder on Alki; next, “Good thing school was delayed,” wrote CS; “Time to build snowmen to leave on our neighbor’s stoop”:

Next, Jay, Lisa, and Emily Wallace report: “We got up super early this morning and made our first snowman of the year (complete with fairy wings, magic wands and a hockey stick). Had so much fun we wanted to share”:

For some, it was just the wonder of being out in the snow for the first time – thanks to Joe Szilagyi for this photo:

Not so wondrous for the next little guy, 16-month-old Zander Smith, whose parents Nicholas Smith and Shelley Yamamoto Smith wrote, “As you can see, not everyone is a fan of the snow. One touch and he wanted to go back inside”:

Some tweeted photos of snow. From Katy:

Snow fun! #seattlesnow @westseattleblog pic.twitter.com/Ssxkoo3PIY

— Katy (@bluejayway) December 20, 2013

The next photo also came from a tweet, via @Philosurfy:

Next, from Steve, who says, “Just wanted to send a pic of the 5’+ tall snowman the neighborhood kids got together to make before school this morning (near 44th and Charlestown). Talk about good use of a snow delay! Notice the celery nose – no carrots, so had to improvise. Too bad he’ll be a puddle before they get home from school”:

The school delay also meant “fun with neighbors by Lincoln Park,” as shown in Cathy‘s photo:

We found Dominic, Molly, and Lida while traveling through Westwood:

And then – it can be about the little things, like this scene found by Machel Spence in Lincoln Park:

Thanks again for the photos – both fun and functional (street conditions during the peak of the morning snow)! As for the remaining snow – watch for a mid-afternoon update with info such as bus routes, which are starting to return to normal.

ADDED FRIDAY EVENING: More scenes from our snowy morning! First, from Melanie:

Dav spotted a mysterious shape in the snow at Greg Davis Park:

Karen photographed snow coating the familiar shape of Dragonfly Pavilion along Longfellow Creek:

From Eugene – big fun for the little one:

Olivia built a snowman at Hamilton Viewpoint Park in North Admiral:

Here’s LuLu‘s bundled-up creation:

And Brad & Adi Ann shared video of their as-it-happened report:

(added) One more, from Leighellen Landskov, who says, “My boys had a blast jumping on our trampoline as it was covered in snow! It weighed the whole thing down, so they couldn’t get much air, but they sure had fun trying!”

Thanks again! This was the most snow seen here since mid-January 2012.

(KEY INFO, 11:42 AM: Seattle Public Schools 2 hours late; other school changes/closures too, all listed here … Metro starting to return to normal after a morning on snow routes … SDOT snow-response map here)

(Latest bridge and Viaduct views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
4:48 AM: The snow has arrived. Light coating on cars, some on the ground, but not the street, where we are. How about you? The Winter Weather Advisory for our area is now in effect until 10 am, and the forecast still says snow might continue until late morning before turning to rain. SDOT says its crews are out:

The Seattle Department of Transportation crews worked through the night treating hills and curves on snow routes with anti-icer. Bridges and overpasses have also been treated. By 3:30 a.m. light snowfall began at various locations around the city with no accumulations. At 4 a.m. the department dispatched 21 trucks equipped with plows and salt to patrol city streets in advance of the morning commute.

(SDOT cam at Fauntleroy/Alaska; more cameras here)
5:08 AM: It’s starting to stick on the road. (Remember the city maps plowed/de-iced routes here.) King County just announced the Vashon Water Taxi is canceled for today (which at the very least will affect buses from the Fauntleroy ferry area as commuters come in via WSF instead).

(Thanks to Richard for tweeting that photo from Delridge/Andover)
5:34 AM: Just in from Seattle Public Schools – “2 Hours Late, No Headstart, no AM or PM kindergarten/preschool, Buses on snow routes.” (And today’s 1-hour early release is still in the plan, too.) We are listing ALL area school changes/closures of note here, and you will find that link as well as other key links/toplines at the very top of this story.

6 AM: Metro has just announced ALL buses are on snow routes TFN. We also just got a text from a 21 rider saying her/his bus is stuck on the West Seattle Bridge eastbound on-ramp. Meantime, Highline Public Schools (White Center and points south) just announced it’s CLOSED; adding that to the school-info page. We are getting private-school reports now too (please e-mail us at editor@westseattleblog.com or call/text 206-293-6302).

6:29 AM: More school delays/closures – Hope Lutheran, Our Lady of Guadalupe, (added later) West Seattle Montessori are closed, Seattle Lutheran, Westside, Explorer West, Holy Rosary, South Seattle Community College all starting late – details here. Traffic note: Spinout crash on the southbound 1st Avenue South bridge; 21 bus reported to still be stuck on its onramp to the West Seattle Bridge (update: a few minutes later, “broke free,” reports Luke on board).

6:57 AM: Again, all Metro buses are now on snow routes, but some are still getting into trouble – from comments, a 21X is now reported stuck at 100th/44th in Arbor Heights.

7:15 AM: Thanks to Greg for that photo from 55th/Alki. We shared via Instagram a quick clip of conditions at Thistle/California as of 7 am – see it here. Meantime, if you have Friday trash pickup, Waste Management says there are some delays today but if they do NOT get to you today, they will “collect your regular amount of recycling, garbage and food and yard waste” tomorrow (Saturday, December 21st).

7:49 AM: Sue just sent word of a spinout crash on 4th Ave. S. under the bridge at S. Spokane. Roads in SODO are bare and wet, judging by this traffic cam further north on 4th. Also, just noticed when going back out that the snow is quick to turn to sloppy slush after it’s been walked on – so this does seem likely to be short-lived. So get out and build a snowperson if you can – here’s a 4 1/2-foot one just built by the “Bear boys” in Arbor Heights:

Back to traffic – a reminder and report from Cathy:

Please let people know to slow down approaching the “S” curves south of the 4800 block of W Marginal Way. Accident in the SB lanes (at least two vehicles that I could see) and I think SB traffic was being diverted to the two way turn lane. Officer(s) on site, but not many are slowing down approaching the accident despite the police flashers being on. There’s a lot of slush on the road here, and hoping you can get people to slow down before we start witnessing the yearly sight of cars flying out of the curves.

8:27 AM: From comments, multiple reports of a bus blocking the Olson/1st/etc. onramp to northbound 509. Meantime, SDOT continues working on roads; Pam reports from Gatewood that a snowplow’s been seen on SW Holden. We photographed one headed eastbound on Thistle past 42nd:

Also, in case you were wondering – roads are bare and wet in The Junction, as we go into one of the last few shopping days before Christmas:

Reminder that some schools are starting late – so the roads are going to get busier in the next hour and a half or so, in school zones. All the school closures/changes we have are listed here.

9:19 AM: And some photos on the ground from the Junction vicinity, from WSB contributor Christopher Boffoli. Crossing SW Oregon:

Junction Plaza Park on SW Alaska:

And California SW:

Thanks also to everyone who’s sent/sending fun photos – we’ll be building a gallery with those next, after transitioning out of this traffic/schools/etc. report, plus we have a couple non-snow stories to share.

11:16 AM NOTE: Some Metro routes are returning to normal. Meantime, the Vashon Water Taxi will be running again this afternoon.

The National Weather Service has changed the alert for possible Friday morning snow to a Winter Weather Advisory, in effect 1 am to 1 pm – read the alert here. One to three inches of snow is possible before it changes to rain in the afternoon. The alert changed after the Weather Service’s midday “forecast discussion” noted that while precipitation is undeniably on the way, “everything else related to snow vs. rain, snow accumulations, and start and end times remains in the Holy Moly zone of uncertainty.” Updates as we get them …

(January 18, 2012, photo shared by Suzanne, from SW Barton in Fauntleroy)
11:55 PM: It’s been almost two full years since the last somewhat-major snowfall in this area – mid-January 2012. Since the forecasters are pretty much unanimous in thinking we’ll see a few inches Friday morning, we’re presenting some links you might want to check in advance:

*SDOT winter-weather-response map – see what routes near you will be plowed (same map, during storm conditions, will show what’s been plowed/salted and when, among other things)

*Metro snow/ice route lookup – see where buses will run if they change to the snow/ice plan

*Outside the city? (White Center, part of South Park) The county road plan is here

*Flying out or picking someone up on Friday? Here’s where to check Sea-Tac Airport status; here are general airport winter-weather logistics

As always, if you will find real-time, 24/7 coverage here, and your help is always appreciated in terms of snow reports/photos from your neighborhood/workplace/travel routes/etc. – but there’s no downside to preparation, and that’s the spirit in which we share those links. Anything else you want to know in advance?

3:26 AM: Don’t get too excited/worried yet. In the 3 am forecast discussion, the National Weather Service is already backpedaling a bit.