(INFOLINKS: Traffic cams here … SDOT plowed/salted map here … Metro on snow routes … Photo to share? editor@westseattleblog.com)
(First photo of tonight’s snow, from Trileigh Tucker, Lincoln Park area)
6:04 PM: Snowing here in Upper Fauntleroy – are you seeing it too? The National Weather Service’s alerts don’t stretch this far, so far – see the current ones here – its updated “forecast discussion” doesn’t think this will get past an inch. We’ll be updating.
6:34 PM: From the WSB Traffic page – where you’ll find many more cameras – that’s the camera pointing at the northbound Alaskan Way Viaduct. But we hope you don’t have to go out; slippery out there already.
6:54 PM: Sticking on the road up here – the view is from a moment ago, looking east on Thistle from California. (added) From the westward view on the high bridge – note the snowy Harbor Island ramp below, on the right side:
7:20 PM: Wondering if SDOT will be out, since it’s sticking on streets? Here’s Joe‘s view from Arbor Heights
On Twitter a few minutes ago, the department said plows are standing by:
Plow operators ready if needed. Road temps fairly warm prior to sunset but will monitor surface conditions closely.
— seattledot (@seattledot) February 9, 2014
7:35 PM: Apparently some city equipment IS out and about. Cheryl reports, also via Twitter: “SDOT ice/plow trucks going both directions on the Bridge just now.”
8:01 PM: Two hours now, still hasn’t stopped. An Alki view via Twitter:
59th and Alki Ave. pic.twitter.com/9Q5RUzMeHa
— Scott M Alki Wa. (@KayakScottNW) February 9, 2014
Road conditions are increasingly dominating the discussions on the scanner; dispatchers say SDOT is definitely out and hitting arterials around the city. (Few minutes later …) checked outside, about 1″ of snow so far.
8:16 PM: Seattle Fire dispatched to a crash reported at California/Frontenac, western bottom of Gatewood Hill. Reported on scanner to be car vs. tree. And just off Delridge, two crashes reported at Orchard/Dumar. If you really, REALLY have to go out, here’s the SDOT map of where they’ve plowed recently – added to the resource links at the top of this story.
8:44 PM: Metro now says its buses are all on snow routes; find yours here. More crashes – via scanner, SPD says it’s blocking 36th/Thistle after a crash.
9 PM: David sent the clip above from California near Andover. We just did the car-hood check again – about an inch and a half here. Couple miles south of David, here’s our latest pan:
Via Twitter, KFT reports a RapidRide C Line bus got stuck downtown.
9:18 PM: The photo above was texted (206-293-6302, any time!) from south Admiral, where they’re reporting more than two inches of snow. A few blocks east, Crystal just e-mailed (editor@westseattleblog.com, any time!) this photo from Hiawatha:
As MetPatrick tweeted a while ago, this does seem to have an end – check out the KING5.com radar.
9:31 PM: Heavy-rescue call on the SW Genesee hill between Avalon and Delridge, at 30th SW. (Added – photo by Christopher Boffoli:)
(A few minutes later …) also 14th/Holden, car vs. street sign. And police are still trying to keep people off Orchard/Dumar/Delridge intersection & its attendant hills. Overall advice: Avoid ANY hill, arterial or side street. **UPDATE ON FLIPPED CAR** No injuries, Christopher was told at the scene.
10:24 PM: From David:
Roxbury neat 26th Ave SW looking sticky. #westseattle @westseattleblog pic.twitter.com/zZHf16CpBK
— David S. Hogan (@SeattleActorDSH) February 9, 2014
Also now a blocking crash at 9th/Roxbury. (UPDATE: 3 people hurt, per scanner.) Screengrab from SDOT map shows Roxbury hasn’t been plowed between 9th and 35th.
As for the forecast, seems the NWS finally issued a Winter Weather Advisory at 8:44 pm for this area, almost 3 hours after it started snowing, and it’s in effect until 4 am.
10:53 PM: Bonair, between North Admiral and Alki, is “blocked at the top … Car in ditch, another car in road. Police tape is up at the top of the road,” David reports via e-mail. Back to that 30th/Genesee heavy rescue on the hill east of Avalon, here’s another view from WSB’s Christopher Boffoli:
Again, the driver wasn’t hurt. Heading back from the scene, Christopher noted RapidRide buses having difficulty at 35th/Avalon:
He says neither had chains. Meantime, snow looks to be about 3″ by now.
11:08 PM: And via scanner, we hear SPD asking Metro to just stop sending buses southbound on Avalon, saying four articulated buses are stuck in that area now. Meantime, near Westwood Village, Khang tweeted about a car that got stuck and just kept getting hit – until help was rounded up. Note to those who’ve sent fun snow photos – we’re building a separate gallery and will link it here when available.
12:01 AM: The snow is now very light, and that matches the radar view.
1:34 AM: Still hearing from people re: bus woes – RapidRide in particular. No new info from Metro.
2:07 AM: National Weather Service measured 2.9″ of snow at Sea-Tac – new record for February 8th (more than 2″ over the old record, 0.4″ in 1957).
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