day : 14/02/2021 6 results

CORONAVIRUS: Sunday 2/14/2021 roundup, including our weekly West Seattle trend check

After skipping a day, the county’s data dashboard updated today, so we have two days’ data:

KING COUNTY’S NEWEST NUMBERS: Today’s numbers from the King County daily-summary dashboard:

*80,144 people have tested positive, 463 more than Friday’s total

*1,321 people have died, 3 more than Friday’s total

*4,997 people have been hospitalized, 42 more than Friday’s total

*877,293 people have been tested, 5,889 more than Friday’s total

One week ago, the King County totals were 78,686/1,299/4,902/855,745.

WEST SEATTLE TRENDS: Here’s our weekly check of this stat – delayed a day since the county didn’t update its dashboards Saturday – with numbers shown in two-week increments via the “geography over time” tab on the daily-summary dashboard, combining the totals from the West Seattle and Delridge “health reporting areas” (HRAs). For the past two weeks, 76 positive test results; 136 in the 2 weeks before that; 295 in the two weeks before that. … We also are noting WS death totals each week; using the HRAs, since they are the most precise count. The total deaths for the entire pandemic in the two HRAs comprising West Seattle: 60, one more than a week ago.

STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.

WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 108.8 million cases and 2,399,000+ deaths, 485,000+ of them in the U.S. – see the nation-by-nation breakdown here.

TESTING TOMORROW: The West Seattle test site in the Southwest Athletic Complex parking lot (2801 SW Thistle) is scheduled to be open Monday.

MAYOR’S LAST ‘STATE OF THE CITY’ ADDRESS: Tomorrow, Mayor Jenny Durkan will give her last State of the City address, with the pandemic expected to be the central focus, especially current concerns over equitable vaccine distribution. Seattle Channel will stream the speech live at 5:05 pm Monday.

GOT SOMETHING TO REPORT? westseattleblog@gmail.com or 206-293-6302, text/voice – thank you!

UPDATE: No garbage/recycling pickup Monday; delays all week

(Near 35th/Henderson, photographed by Mary Burki)

8:59 PM SUNDAY: Biggest question of the night: Will there be garbage/recycling pickup tomorrow? The Seattle Public Utilities update we included in afternoon coverage remains the newest information:

If there is still snow and/or ice on the ground Monday and conditions are determined to be unsafe for SPU contractors, the Utility will operate on a one-day delay for garbage, recycling and food/yard waste pickup this coming week. SPU will be sure to communicate just as soon as decisions are made.

Whenever we get word of that decision, we’ll update this story.

6:23 AM MONDAY: Still no announcement.

7:50 AM: No pickup today, says Waste Management: “Attention Monday Residential Customers: Your services cannot be provided today. Please leave carts at the curb. We will collect tomorrow or as conditions allow. We will collect materials missed during this delay – no extra charge.”

9:36 AM: And, as per the original city announcement above, the rest of the week will be delayed too, SPU says.

SNOWBIRDS: West Seattle feathered friends weather the weekend

From the photos sent by WSB readers throughout the snowy weekend, we’ve saved these for a separate “snowbirds” collection. Even as the snow buried birdbaths and froze feeders, the birds were in view seeking food, water, and refuge. Above, a Great Blue Heron “got comfortable on a branch right outside of my daughter’s window,” reports Mrs. E. Below, 15-year-old Drew Atkinson photographed a Crow in the Roxhill area:

The most frequently sighted birds, though, were Hummingbirds. First, from (corrected) Jamie Kinney:

From Brad Lovejoy, a hummingbird on a magnolia:

From Eric Bell, “Buzz” was hanging out in the bamboo:

Steve Fredrickson recorded the scene at a busy feeder:

The one in Lawrence Heeren‘s photo had a feeder to itself:

Lawrence also photographed a Barrow’s Goldeneye off the snowy shore:

The European Starling and American Robin are from J:

And a Dark-eyed Junco from Yma in Gatewood:

(added) Here’s a Spotted Towhee, from Rick Rasmussen:

Big thanks to all the bird photographers – we publish galleries periodically (and have a few non-snowy images in queue for the next one) – westseattleblog@gmail.com next time you want to share your pic of a West Seattle bird!

SNOW DAY SIGHTING: Orcas off West Seattle

5:47 PM: As dusk approaches, transient orcas are southbound off Constellation Park, reports Kersti Muul of Salish Wildlife Watch. Thanks to Sue Kearns for the photo of one of them off Alki earlier! In our afternoon snow coverage, we mentioned Kersti’s first report that the whales were in Elliott Bay.

ADDED: Here’s a photo from Kersti:

WEST SEATTLE SNOW: Sunday updates, photos

(SNOW LINKS: Metro buses on snow routestraffic camsmap of what’s been plowedplowing-priority map … OPEN BUSINESSES LISTED HERE … SATURDAY AM COVERAGE HERE … SATURDAY PM COVERAGE HERE)

(SW Thistle stairway, photographed by John Borba)

9:58 AM: Forecasters say up to two more inches of snow are possible today, so a Winter Weather Advisory is in effect until 10 pm. So it’s one more day to have fun – Jim Moore just sent this next photo from The Arroyos, saying his neighbor is “ready for the assault of the snowmen”:

The National Weather Service says Seattle’s official snow total for the past two days was 11.1 inches – (corrected) #15 in the all-time list (since recordkeeping began 130+ years ago) of two-day snow totals, and the highest such total in almost 50 years.

INFO LINKS
Metro – all buses remain on snow routes; no 125
SDOT snow-routes map
SDOT “live” map updating where plows have gone
King County’s “live” map (White Center included)
West Seattle traffic cams
Seattle Public Library curbside services closed today
Seattle Parks snow info
(added) Updates on other city services, including possibility of no solid-waste pickup tomorrow
TODAY’S LIST INCLUDING OPEN BUSINESSES (206-293-6302 or westseattleblog@gmail.com)

11:27 AM: That’s a traffic-cam view of the one major road SDOT is not plowing today – the 11-months-closed West Seattle Bridge. Meantime, the snow is picking up again, but expected to change to rain later today. Fred Hammerquist sent this video from Lincoln Park.

The West Seattle Golf Course is open again today for snow play – here’s a texted photo of snowboarders there:

12:36 PM: Also from the golf course, Liza and Lisa sent this photo:

“Ernie the Snow Walrus awaits his Valentine on a bench at the golf course,” they explained. By the way, if you’re headed there, Seattle Parks says that “entry is ONLY through pedestrian gates near the parking lots/pro shops.” … From west of The Junction, Janelle Bracken sent this photo, saying, “We didn’t see any snowmen yesterday so we made one for west seattle! Corner of 48th Ave SW and Alaska”:

1:48 PM: The temperature is above freezing and the snow is showing signs of melting, with clumps spontaneously sliding off cars, roofs, etc. But there’s still lots to work with – another snow-creation photo just in from Alki, at the “Birthplace of Seattle” monument:

Speaking of history, Jim Starkey noted that we had a photo from the 3200 block of California SW in Saturday’s coverage, and sent this photo from the same area during the 1968 snowstorm:

Jim says that photo was taken “looking out from the Cal D Apartments (gone now) onto California Avenue. Right across the street from the old Hi-Hat Chinese Restaurant.” An old newspaper ad shows the Hi-Hat was at 3221 California SW, where the Revel live-work townhouses are now.

2:16 PM: The city has sent its daily roundup of multi-departmental updates. If you’re wondering about trash/recycling pickup for tomorrow, here’s the Seattle Public Utilities update:

If there is still snow and/or ice on the ground Monday and conditions are determined to be unsafe for SPU contractors, the Utility will operate on a one-day delay for garbage, recycling and food/yard waste pickup this coming week. SPU will be sure to communicate just as soon as decisions are made.

SPU also notes that its transfer stations (nearest one is in South Park) are closing at 3 pm.

3:06 PM: Lots of photos received from Lincoln Park today – thank you! The photo above, from the shore path on the park’s north side, is from Bryan Lunak; below, “fans” awaiting baseball/softball season, photographed by Mike Munson:

Just in from Washington State Ferries: They’ll stay on the “severe weather schedule” through tomorrow. For Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth, that means the two-boat schedule minus boat #2.

3:45 PM: If you’re near Elliott Bay – Kersti Muul from Salish Wildlife Watch reports orcas have headed into the bay, toward the grain silos on the north end of the downtown waterfront.

Back on the forecast front, the NWS says a “wintry mix” is likely to prevail in the hours ahead, but expects it to be all rain by first thing tomorrow morning. Watch out for falling snow as the transition happens – check out the snow slab falling off Neal Chism’s metal roof in this clip:

4:36 PM: More great photos have just come in as people of all ages enjoy the snow before it goes. First, here’s Lucille on a “snow camel” built in the park by Delridge Community Center with her mom Laurie Garcia:

Marc Fendel sent this photo of a snowperson seated on a pickup bed:

Bradi Jones sent a snow bunny with a backstory:

She explains that it’s “inspired by the Neo-expressionist artist, Hunt Slonem, and his “Bunnies” collection! Husband Tim Jones works at Glass Eye Studio, a renowned glass blowing studio here in Seattle,” where they collaborated with Slonem recently “in creating his newest collection of ‘Bunnies’ … We thought we’d see how a ‘Snownem bunny’ might come out!” … Next, a snow “Moai” from Max Welliver in North Admiral:

From just above Lincoln Park, Andy sent this photo of a classic snowman:

And of course, there are snow forts. This photo’s from Jethro:

Jethro writes, “Sunrise Heights girl power. This is an unused dead-end alley east of 28th. They are ready for the obviously imminent attack from the neighborhood boys.”

5 PM: And here’s a snow castle:

That’s Lilli and Oliver Athan’s Snow Castle, to be specific, photo by Paulette Athan. It’s been an afternoon full of sledding, too – Eugene Lee sends these two photos:

That’s Ezra, a Denny sixth-grader; below, Silas, a Gatewood fifth-grader.

In the Alki area, Katy photographed the “neighborhood kids (who) built a tie-dye rocket ship”:

5:53 PM: Yma sent a photo of “our 6′ Snow Princess, ready for Valentine’s Day” in Gatewood:

And from Yazmin: “My twin girls really wanted a fort so daddy and mommy built it before the temperature warms up again. We also made ornaments with ice cubes.” You can see the fort in a comment below; here are the ornaments (and the twins):

8:01 PM: A few more fun photos that have come in – first, James Ritchie made a snow version of the famous Sen. Bernie Sanders Inauguration Day photo in Seaview (Bethany photographed it):

Michael Allen sent this pic of his “very large snowman” at the Seattle Chinese Garden on Puget Ridge:

Still ahead tonight, a look at tomorrow – we’re waiting to hear from the city about trash/recycling pickup for tomorrow (as mentioned above, they MIGHT delay everything one day this week), and will publish a separate update when that’s in. Also, we’re working on a photo gallery of “snowbirds.” Thanks yet again to everyone who’s sent photos/info all weekend – 206-293-6302 or westseattleblog@gmail.com is how to reach us for whatever’s making news, 24/7/365.

WEST SEATTLE SUNDAY: What’s happening, and not happening, on this snowy Valentine’s Day

(Photographed Saturday at Alki by Theresa Arbow O’Connor)

We usually start Sundays with a list of what’s happening; today it will include what’s NOT happening because of our 2-day, 11-inch snowfall, and we’ll add to this with any closures/changes reported during the day. For starters:

CHURCH SERVICES: Today our updated list includes word of several churches canceling services – online and/or in-person – because of the snow.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, C&P: Today is the 18th anniversary of C&P Coffee Company (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor) opening for business! If you want to congratulate them while getting beverages and/or treats, they’ll be open 8 am-4 pm today.

ALSO OPEN TODAY: Here are businesses we’ve heard from:

Sound & Fog – open 8 am-3 pm
Youngstown Coffee – open 9 am-3 pm
HeartBeet Café – open 9 am-3 pm
Alair Gift Shop – open at 10 am
Mission Cantina (WSB sponsor) – 11 am-8 pm
My Three Little Birds (WSB sponsor) – noon-4 pm

WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET CANCELED: As announced Saturday, this week’s market is canceled. If you had ore-ordered online via What’s Good, the market says your order will be canceled and refunded.

WEST SEATTLE TOOL LIBRARY: Open 11 am-4 pm on Sundays – WSTL was open yesterday, so as far as we know, they’re open today too. For drivers, they advise entering from the south side at Delridge/Oregon. (4408 Delridge Way SW)

Any other open/closed reports, please email or text us – westseattleblog@gmail.com, 206-293-6302 – thank you!