WEST SEATTLE SNOW: Christmas Eve 2017 updates

(SCROLL DOWN FOR UPDATES. LINKS: SDOT traffic cameras/alertsMetro on snow routesForecastOur grocery stores/restaurants/etc. info)

(Texted photo from High Point, ~3:25 pm)

2:58 PM: It’s light – but it’s snow. Thanks for the texts – we’ve heard from High Point, and we’re seeing light snow here on the Fauntleroy/Gatewood line, too.

3:06 PM: We’re hearing from points north, too, including The Junction. And even before the snow arrived, SDOT had sent a media advisory saying it “has increased crews for night shift deployment, and will continue to monitor, evaluate and treat Seattle roads this evening accordingly.”

3:28 PM: It’s sticking – on cars, rooftops, roadsides.

3:48 PM: But as that photo shows, the roads up here (about 340′ – check your elevation on this map) are still bare and wet. The National Weather Service‘s updated forecast predicts about 1″ of snow.

4:29 PM: That’s changing. Photo texted from near California/Hanford:

Be careful if you’re driving somewhere post-game. Meantime, one more pre-dusk scene, from Kim at Alki:

Snow looks to be about half an inch deep where we are.

5:26 PM: Continuing to snow lightly. SDOT reports a crash at 30th/Brandon; apparently no injuries, as there’s no SFD dispatch. Up here, snow on the road, though not deep:


And there are de-light-ful scenes, as Diane described it with this photo:

Thanks to everyone who’s sent photos/video! 206-293-6302 or editor@westseattleblog.com.

5:57 PM: Road report from WSB’s Christopher Boffoli:

I just drove back to the peninsula from Capitol Hill and I thought I’d give you a quick street report. I-5 appears to have been salted and is just wet. Traffic was light. No issues there (including on and off ramps which were fine. In my short ten minute drive I did see state plows on the freeway (though with plows up as they weren’t needed). The West Seattle bridge was mostly wet with a bit of frosty slush building up around the Delridge exit.

City streets are a different story. Most of the city streets have a light coating of snow and are pretty slick. I have an all wheel drive car – which is very sure-footed – but I definitely stepped on the brakes hard once or twice to test it and I was able to break the tires free and slide very easily. I also saw a car on Hanford, on the hill just east of California, sideways with hazards on. I didn’t see any SDOT salters or sanders at all. So I’d recommend that people exercise caution, slow down, and leave themselves plenty of distance between other cars and avoid the steeper hills if you can at this point.

We mentioned a 30th/Brandon crash earlier; we’ve since heard police (via scanner) mention closure signs on that hill, which goes between Delridge and High Point [map].

6:57 PM: Metro just sent an alert that its South Seattle area – which includes West Seattle – is on snow routes. (Find yours here.)

7:45 PM: Sue texted to say that Westside Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Gatewood has canceled its 9 pm candlelight service because of the weather. (Anyone else with changes/cancellations? Let us know so we can add.) Meantime, Vika tweeted this West Seattle snowman photo:

8:11 PM: Light snow is still falling, and we’d gauge it at about an inch deep here on the Fauntleroy/Gatewood line.

9:44 PM: Hills continue to be the trouble spots on roads. A texter sent photos of cars that got into trouble on – and off – the SW Spokane hill by 48th earlier this evening:

We will be starting a new story soon for late night/early morning info, since this one has been running since mid-afternoon.

27 Replies to "WEST SEATTLE SNOW: Christmas Eve 2017 updates"

  • Scott A December 24, 2017 (3:06 pm)

    SDOT live, high quality video feeds are giving a good sense of snow in the Junction.

    https://web6.seattle.gov/travelers/

    • WSB December 24, 2017 (3:10 pm)

      They still haven’t made the embed code live, sadly, but we’ll have a permalink atop this story soon, thanks.

  • KatherineL December 24, 2017 (3:29 pm)

    My northern Indiana cousins are talking about 8″, snow shovels…..

    And they wonder why I don’t move back there?

  • miws December 24, 2017 (3:33 pm)

    Light snow in S. Delridge! Sticking to the grass, and it looks like it is also sticking to the stairs on my apartment complex’s property up to the street. 

    Mike

  • 22blades December 24, 2017 (3:38 pm)

    Sticking in Admiral at 1530. Merry White Christmas everyone!

    • WSB December 24, 2017 (3:39 pm)

      Merry Christmas to you too!

  • HappyOnAlki December 24, 2017 (3:43 pm)

    Snow starting to stick on Alki — a Christmas miracle!

  • HelperMonkey December 24, 2017 (3:43 pm)

    Snowing and sticking in White Center! 

  • KD December 24, 2017 (4:28 pm)

    Sticking in Highland Park.. pretty white now.

  • Jack December 24, 2017 (4:38 pm)

    When it snows at Alki it’s snowing everywhere.  

  • Whitechristmas December 24, 2017 (4:45 pm)

    First snowman of the year! 



  • Mark December 24, 2017 (5:07 pm)

    WSB, do you have the link to the SDOT map that shows road treatment progress, when the last time a route was ploughed or de-iced? Thank you in advance.

    • WSB December 24, 2017 (5:31 pm)

      Try this:
      http://web6.seattle.gov/sdot/winterweathermap/

      It’s not rendering properly for me yet, but maybe it will for you.

      • Mark December 24, 2017 (6:32 pm)

        Thank you, yes, incomplete rendering as well.

        • Pilsner December 24, 2017 (6:42 pm)

          This page probably see’s zero interweb traffic 99% of the year. So they assign it an old, dated server. That was a LOL by the way.

  • West Seattle Hipster December 24, 2017 (6:06 pm)

    Be careful on the roads, Holden between California and 35th was an ice rink.

    Slow down and enjoy Christmas

  • 1000amys December 24, 2017 (6:17 pm)

    We got stuck at about 5:00 coming up the hill in front of Sanislo (Myrtle just east of 21st). Neighbors pulled us out. Meanwhile people kept attempting the hill behind us and getting stuck because we were blocking the road. Reported to 911 that we were blocking traffic and they said, “We don’t have the resources to deal with that.” Okay then! We are happy to be home and safe. 

  • SRM December 24, 2017 (6:39 pm)

    Anyone know how Roxbury is…? 

    Have a flight at 11.

  • 31st resident December 24, 2017 (6:59 pm)

    Police were re-routing folks from Brandon between 30 and Findlay to 29th. 29th is now closed between Findlay and Brandon because my brother and niece’s car and one other were not able to make it down. One is in the ditch, the other two are blocking the it. We put up barricades at the bottom and top of the hill The patrolmen had to leave to get more road closure signs in the mean time. 30th is a mess but there are some cars still coming down from High Point. Take extreme care.

    • WSB December 24, 2017 (7:17 pm)

      Thank you for the update. Sorry they got stuck. Hope everyone’s OK otherwise.

  • SRM December 24, 2017 (8:32 pm)

    Well nevermind, flight was rescheduled til tomorrow 1 pm!  Guess that’s for the better.

    • WSB December 24, 2017 (9:32 pm)

      Sorry – I tried looking around for info on the drive to Sea-Tac and encountered no specifics, just the general area-wide “hills are yucky” advisory. If the forecast holds, things should clear up by the time you go tomorrow!

    • rob December 25, 2017 (2:20 am)

      i’m guessing you’re thinking about what it would be like to get down the hill to 509. just take ambaum down to 128th and you’ll have no big hill to deal with. 

  • Camp long neighbor December 24, 2017 (9:48 pm)

    Just read about 29th and since I live nearby walked over to check it out  

  • RickB December 24, 2017 (10:32 pm)

    For what it’s worth, I just came up into White Center from the 1st Ave S bridge and it was not bad. A little slush on the road but no spin outs and decent traction. 

  • MJ December 24, 2017 (10:47 pm)

    Driving in snow takes practice, if you have not done it don’t.  Wait for it to clear and go to a large parking lot where snow remains and practice.

    Slamming the brakes leads to loss of control, drive carefully and steer out of it.  Do not stop on an upgrade, keep moving or you can get stuck.

    If you need to drive, drive at a prudent speed.  Too slow or too fast are not prudent.

    Be safe.

  • 22blades December 25, 2017 (4:43 am)

      MERRY ***WHITE***   CHRISTMAS  

    Leave early if you have to & PLEASE, drive  /// S L O W ///  The temperature hovering above & below freezing (which I think is projected) can be really dangerous producing ice as well as snow. Let somebody know you’re travelling, check in often & watch out for GPS navigation if you’re visiting unfamiliar areas; they can take you into steep hills without a hint.

    Check in on loved ones & friends. I know of two furnaces that went out yesterday.

Sorry, comment time is over.