West Seattle, Washington
08 Friday
(WSB photo, last month)
Weather like this is dangerous for many, and potentially deadly for people who live outdoors. As you probably know, West Seattle has only one emergency shelter, powered by volunteers and donations, and it could use some help – here’s an update from Westside Neighbors Shelter manager Keith Hughes:
My heartfelt thanks to the West Seattle Community for your overwhelming response to getting the shelter kitchen stocked up for the winter. Thanks to all of you we are now fully stocked with paper goods, coffee, creamer, peanut butter, and pancake syrup.
Now that the bitter cold has arrived, we are going to be open 24 hours a day at least through January 18th to meet the needs of our unhoused neighbors.
What we need now are stocking caps, gloves, warm clothing like sweatshirts, sweaters (washable) coats, and long underwear.
A friend of the shelter, Mike, adds this:
Note that shoes, socks, and blankets are not needed at this time.
Dropoffs can be made in person between 7 am – 5 pm:
Map can be found on the website.
3618 SW Alaska St.
Thanks to Debra Salazar Herbst for the first photos in from this deep-freeze Friday – both from a walk on Alki. Below, the north wind whipping waves against the seawall is what’s continuing to propel the cold air this way:
The temperature has fallen several degrees since daybreak – currently 19 degrees at SEA, 20 at Boeing Field, and the midday forecast update still foresees an overnight low no warmer than the teens.
7:41 AM: West Seattle and Vashon Water Taxis are canceled for the rest of the morning because of wind. Metro says the shuttle buses will keep running.
2:26 PM: From Metro – “The West Seattle Water Taxi will be resuming regularly scheduled service beginning with the 2:30 p.m. departure from Pier 50 in downtown Seattle.”
Earlier:
6:00 AM: Good morning. It’s Friday, January 12th, and the below-freezing air is here. Local roads are clear, though, as a dusting of snow is all we got (although some other areas around the region saw more).
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
We’re in the 20s now and the forecast suggests that’s where we’ll stay all day, with the sky gradually clearing, and wind from the north, then an overnight low in the teens. Today’s sunrise will be at 7:54 am, sunset at 4:40 pm.
LOOKING AHEAD
Monday is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day – school and government closures, and some transit changes.
TRANSIT NOTES
Water Taxi today – UPDATE: CANCELED Regular schedule. Check the real-time map if you’re wondering where the boat is. For Monday’s holiday, the WT will be out of service.
Metro today – Regular schedule; check advisories here.
Washington State Ferries today – 2-boat service on the Triangle Route. Check alerts for changes, and use the real-time map to see where your ferry is.
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS
(The video options on SDOT‘s camera map are working again.)
Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Orchard), cameras are also at Delridge/Genesee, Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Henderson, and Delridge/Oregon.
High Bridge – the main camera:
High Bridge – the view from its southwest end (when SDOT points the 35th/Avalon/Fauntleroy camera that way):
Low Bridge:
1st Ave. S. Bridge:
Highway 99: – northbound side at Lander:
MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: See all working traffic cams citywide here; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are on this WSB page.
BRIDGE INFO: The @SDOTBridges feed on X (ex-Twitter) shows whether the city’s movable bridges are opening for vessel traffic.
If you see a problem on the bridges/streets/paths/water, please text or call us (when you can do that safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if applicable). Thank you!
(Morning view at Luna/Anchor Park, by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor)
4:44 PM: So far, doesn’t look like we have to worry much about serious snow, but that very cold air is arriving. The National Weather Service issued a Special Weather Statement alert this afternoon for our area, including:
Record-breaking cold temperatures are expected to spread across western Washington this afternoon and tonight and continue into at least early next week. The coldest temperatures and wind chills are expected Friday through Sunday followed by a very slow warming trend.
This cold snap will begin with rapidly falling temperatures this afternoon through tonight and could result in flash freezing of any wet surfaces including roadways. This could create rapidly deteriorating travel/commute conditions.
By Friday morning, extremely cold air will be in place across western Washington …
In addition to all the other preparation advice, we’ve been asked to remind you – keep your pets inside, and watch out for your neighborhood birds, too, like this one:
(Photo by Jerry Simmons)
Reader Laura sent this advice if you have a hummingbird feeder:
Rather than bringing feeders inside at night, it is best to keep them up 24/7 and provide heat to keep the nectar thawed during sub-freezing temps. If you have some incandescent (non-LED) holiday lights you can simply wrap the lights around the feeder or put the bundled string of lights in an empty plastic nursery plant pot and hang it underneath the feeder (I use unfolded paperclips to connect from the perches on the feeder to a few holes punched along the rim of the pot). If your feeder has a bottle, slipping an old wool sock and/or bubble-wrap around the bottle helps too. If you keep feeders thawed by bringing them indoors periodically, this is best done by swapping them out (have at least 2) so there is always one available.
As always, thanks in advance for tips and photos enhancing our weather coverage – text 206-293-6302 or email westseattleblog@gmail.com any time!
5:31 PM: North winds are bringing in that cold air, and they’ve also led to the cancellation of the Vashon Island Water Taxi for the rest of the evening. (West Seattle is still running.)
6:30 PM: Very light snow, but it’s cold enough that it’s sticking to parked vehicles:
(Photo by James Bratsanos)
Lowland snow? Maybe. Sub-freezing cold? Definitely. That’s the current forecast for what’s on the way. Starting tomorrow night, temperatures will drop below freezing, with daytime highs in the 20s on Friday and Saturday, overnight lows as cold as the upper teens on Friday and Saturday nights. So Seattle Public Utilities – which handles water service among other things – wants you to be ready. Today SPU invited media crews to a home in Seaview for demonstrations on simple steps you can take – like protecting outdoor faucets:
(WSB photos/video from here)
In our photo is SPU’s Sabrina Clark-Bentley, who showed options for that – either a foam cover you can buy, or a DIY wrap with an old sock or towel, plastic bags, and tape:
Inside, SPU recommends turning on a faucet to a “slow drip” when it’s below freezing, so water keeps flowing in your pipes to reduce the chance of a break. In your kitchen, if your sink is against an exterior wall, open the doors beneath it to bring in warmer air:
And know where your water shutoff is, in case you need it. Other things to consider before the cold wave hits – storm-drain clearing. That’s part of what we discussed in a brief interview with SPU’s emergency-management program manager Chad Buechler:
Again, the number he mentioned for SPU-related emergencies, like water breaks and clogged street drains, is 206-386-1800 (same one we often mention for brown water).
Thanks to Jen Popp for that photo of tonight’s sunset, seen from Constellation Park. The wind alert has expired and we’re now getting back to relatively normal weather – until Thursday night. That’s when temperatures are supposed to drop, with an overnight low in the 20s. Will we see snow while the colder-than-normal air is hanging around? Right now the National Weather Service says it’s “likely” – especially Friday. So the city wants you to know it’s getting ready, and advises you should too – all that info is here (and more expected tomorrow).
12:27 PM: As today’s strong wind continues – with the National Weather Service advisory remaining in effect until 10 pm – walkers and runners are facing obstacles as well as drivers; above, a reader photo shows tree limbs blocking the sidewalk on 61st SW in front of Il Nido/Alki Homestead. SDOT crews have numerous street-blocking trees to deal with around the city – this one near 22nd/Trenton was mentioned in our late-night coverage (another reader photo – thank you):
Downed wires are presenting problems too – most notably on East Marginal Way at Diagonal, which has a long stretch of 99 blocked in both directions, which we’re told is affecting access to the West Seattle Bridge from southbound 99. Meantime, the Seattle City Light outage map shows at least 10 small outages around the peninsula, with the largest current one affecting 10 customers. We’ll continue updating weather, traffic, and power issues here throughout the afternoon. Your tips are appreciated, whether downed trees, power outages, traffic issues, or other things people should know about – text 206-293-6302 (or email westseattleblog@gmail.com if it’s not urgent) – thank you!
1:30 PM: Highway 99/East Marginal has fully reopened, WSDOT says. … There’s a new power outage, 102 customers, just east of Lincoln Park, per SCL’s map.
3:01 PM: That outage has since been resolved.
4:41 PM: Reader on bus from downtown to West Seattle says driver is trying to divert from SB 99. We’re not seeing any new problems in traffic-tracking channels, though remaining spot outages might be affecting signals.
7:02 PM: Still gusty out there but much of the weather focus has moved on to the upcoming colder weather – here’s what the city says about preparations.
(Photo by Jeremy Barton)
11:18 PM: The wind has kicked up, and a tree is already down – the one shown above has fallen across 51st SW near SW Grayson [map]. The National Weather Service‘s Wind Advisory alert originally was expected to go into effect at 4 am but that was changed to 10 pm, and it sounds like that was a good call. Here’s what the NWS says is possible through 10 pm tomorrow:
Southwest winds 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 50 mph expected.
More rain, too. But all those freezing temperatures you’ve been hearing about aren’t due until Thursday night. Updates to come – if you have something to report that’s related to the weather, let us know – text 206-293-6302 – thank you!
12:09 AM: After some hefty gusts in the past 15 minutes, we’re hearing dispatches for downed trees, including the 7300 block of Wright SW (north of Lincoln Park) and the 8600 block of 22nd SW (northeast of Westwood Village). … Here’s a photo from Wright SW, where the texter reports that what fell was “telephone pole and massive tree limb from Lincoln Park,” hitting two vintage cars:
One power outage note in the area so far, 89 customers out, west of White Center (here’s the map). … A line is down across SW Holden near 38th (note the tree debris in the street, too):
The wind has calmed considerably – at least for now – since those huge gusts around midnight.
12:50 AM: One more tree photo – Ryan reports via X, “FYI, tree down blocking SB lane of Marine View Dr SW in West Seattle between 104th and 106th. Use extreme caution approaching from the north.” Police radio notes that SDOT is backed up, so road-blocking trees might not be cleared for quite some time.
5:50 AM: After a windy night, the 89-customer outage mentioned above remains the only one of note, so far, in this area. We’re proceeding to our morning traffic-info roundup momentarily.
6:36 AM: As noted in comments, there’s now a line down at 45th/Hemlock [map] east of Lincoln Park, and a half-dozen customers out.
7:50 AM: We’re adding mid-to-late-morning updates here.
Thanks for the photos! (Above, from Curry Gibson; below, from Lynn Hall.) The rainbow toward the north/east preceded tonight’s pink-gold sunset.
(added) And Gene Pavola sent this sunset photo:
This followed a showery day, but the forecast is good news if you’re going out New Year’s Eve, especially if you plan to watch the Space Needle fireworks, drone, and light show, from near or (West Seattle viewpoints) far – rain isn’t anticipated to return before Monday night at the earliest. (That’s good news for the New Year’s Day Alki Beach Polar Bear Swim, too.)
P.S. See what else is up for New Year’s Eve/Day via our West Seattle Holiday Guide!
Still some color left on the horizon after this spectacular sunset, sixth-to-last of fall before the winter solsticr (post-sunset on Thursday). Thanks to James Bratsanos for the first two photos, above and below:
ADDED: From Jamie Kinney:
Lot of people out sunset-watching at Constellation Park, as Tony Tschanz shows us:
And the pink clouds lingered – here’s a later view from Chris Frankovich:
Another partly sunny day expected tomorrow!
Almost three months after the city asked people to use less water, the reservoirs are finally back to normal or near-normal, according to an announcement this morning from Seattle Public Utilities. This of course is thanks to not only reduced water use but also above-average fall rain (with scenes like the Lincoln Park “waterfall” in video from last Tuesday) – this month is at more than triple the average so far, and rain since October 1st is three inches above normal, though rain since January 1st remains two inches below normal. The city says the Cedar Reservoir is back to normal; the South Fork Tolt Reservoir is not, but they think it will be within a few months. Saving water is still a good thing, SPU says, so you can go here for advice on that. When the city asked customers to use less water, usage totaled 149 million gallons a day, and SPU set a goal of cutting that by a third, to 100 million gallons a day; archived updates say the usage almost reached that goal, bottoming out at 101 million gallons a day.
If you have to drive on this soggy afternon, a few words of warning:
4:23 PM: That’s a reader photo from another crash near the west end of the westbound West Seattle Bridge a couple hours ago. It’s not the only one we’ve heard of since the rain began in earnest – no major injuries reported but as discussed amply here in recent months, it seems to be a relatively frequent trouble spot. Meantime, a Flood Advisory remains in effect, warning of, among other things, urban ponding:
That’s one example – a big “pond” we photographed this morning (after a reader tip) just west of Delridge/Sylvan/Orchard. Often this is the result of a clogged drain – still lots of leaves coming off trees – so you can report it to Seattle Public Utilities at 206-386-1800.
11:18 PM: Another crash toward the west end of the westbound bridge a short time ago. The circumstances of this one might have further complications, though, as police have told dispatchers that both cars were unoccupied.
9:55 AM: West Seattle escaped major power outages when the wind swept through for a few hours this morning – but there is one 27-customer outage on the Seattle City Light map, and that tree is the reason. Thanks to David for sending the photo and reporting, “We didn’t totally escape unscathed from last night’s wind storm. The wind knocked down a tree in the back of the apartments at 5220 California at around 3 am. So far that building and the ones behind it are out of power – no word from SFD or SCL on when they are coming to address the downed power lines.” Let us know if you are seeing any other storm damage – here in Upper Fauntleroy, a tree-sized branch came off a big evergreen, but landed harmlessly on an unoccupied planting strip. As for the weather, partly sunny and calm right now, but more major rain is on the way by tomorrow.
1:10 PM: That outage is fixed. But it wasn’t the only big tree brought down early today:
That photo is from Seaview resident Kaci, who says, “We lost a big beautiful Aspen tree during the windstorm last night. It fell at about 3 am. No major damage to our house except our rain gutters. Our catio didn’t fare so well.”
4:55 PM: A commenter notes that the first situation isn’t entirely resolved, and indeed, a new marker on the outage map shows that.
The National Weather Service‘s map of alerts has a bit of everything around the state. In our area, that mocha color signifies a Wind Advisory alert – scheduled to be in effect overnight, 11 pm to 6 am. The NWS says you should plan for “South winds 30 to 35 mph with gusts up to 50 mph.” Though the advisory currently only lasts until 6 am, the forecast suggests it’ll continue to be breezy and – at times – rainy after sunrise. If you’re by the water, high tide tomorrow morning is high but not extraordinarily so – 11.9 feet at 9:17 am.
Thanks for the photos! Above, Rick Dolezal sent that view with the observation, “Weather watching on Beach Drive is always awesome. This weather phenomenon occurred this morning over the water across from Emma Schmitz Overlook.” Below, Darlene Allen photographed “interesting fog”:
And earlier, from Constellation Park, Pelicans photographed fog flowing over the ridge:
Bonus close-up view: “Spider art” seen by Rosalie Miller:
Thanks as always to everyone who sends photos, from weather views to breaking news (and it’s just about time for Christmas lights, too!) – best way is email, westseattleblog@gmail.com, but text works too, particularly when it’s urgent – 206-293-6302.
The sunbreak might be a great time to do this if you can – thanks to Kevin Freitas for the photos and reminder:
A reminder for folks able, please consider clearing a storm drain or two near you, especially in places where people need to walk, roll, or take transit.
I cleared the bus lane near 35th/Avalon as it was a lake and a few other nearby spots.
And remember that it’s still “extra yard waste at no extra charge” month.
10:26 AM: After a blustery night, 134 West Seattle homes are dealing with a power outage. The power went out just after 5:30 am in the area shown in the Seattle City Light outage-map screengrab above, parts of Brace Point and Arbor Heights. SCL blames the outage on a tree.
3:28 PM: Just checked the map for the first time in a few hours; the outage is down to 21 customers.
7:47 PM: Since that last look, everyone’s been reconnected, per the map.
11:59 AM: Temperatures are dropping back to the seasonably chilly range, so if you know or see someone who needs a place to get out of the cold, Keith Hughes just let us know that he plans to open the Westside Neighbors Shelter for overnight stays tonight and tomorrow night. That’s the shelter in the West Seattle Veteran Center/American Legion Post 160 building (3618 SW Alaska). Its hours are on the shelter’s website. (That’s also where you’ll find word of a Veterans Day event dedicating a Peace Pole at the building, as well as a benefit concert at Kenyon Hall on December 2 to raise money to keep this donation-and-volunteer-powered shelter running.)
3:23 PM: We asked Keith if the shelter is in immediate need of any particular donated items. Yes – stocking caps and cotton gloves.
Two reader reports related to our wet weather:
TOPPLED TREE: Mike Munson sent the photo and report:
A tree at the southeast corner of Gatewood School broke off at its rotten base and fell against the school. It didn’t fall far but that looks like a lot of weight against the building/roof. There was a crew there figuring out what to do when we walked by at 4:30. This is the same tree that had a big piece break away about a year ago, which tore off an electrical connection to the commercial building just to the east of the school.
Here’s our story about that previous tree trouble.
WHERE TO GET SANDBAGS: In case you need them before the next deluge, Rosalie Miller shares what she found out:
I just returned from the South Park address listed on the county’s website to get free sandbags [731 S. Sullivan]. There are plenty of bags remaining. The county asks that you take no more than 25 bags per household. There are no bags being distributed at the Delridge Community Center this year. You will need to load the bags yourself and each weighs approximately 35 – 40#.
(WSB file photo)
No, the forecast isn’t for temperatures THAT low, though it’s cooled down a bit from last week, but you might see a snowplow. SDOT says it’s having “a snowplow training exercise” today and tomorrow, to make sure the equipment’s working and that drivers know their routes. SDOT’s announcement explains:
During this practice run, SDOT snowplow drivers travel the specific routes they would clear during and after a real snow and ice storm, following a network of pre-identified arterial streets all across the city. This helps drivers be familiar with the latest street conditions. At the same time, other City of Seattle specialists ensure vehicles, equipment, and supplies are where they need to be at several maintenance facilities in Seattle.
SDOT says Seattle Public Utilities and Parks drivers are also cross-trained to drive snowplows. Here are some links to save in case of snow:
–Snowplow routes map
–Winter Weather Response map (during snow/ice events, it’ll show you what’s been cleared)
–Winter-weather info/resources
10:28 AM: On what was already a stormy morning, a band of thunderstorms is moving through. The National Weather Service says there’s a chance of more throughout the day and into the evening. And a wind alert takes effect shortly – from 11 am until 6 pm, the NWS has a Wind Advisory for our area: “Southwest winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts 35 to 45 mph expected. Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result.” If a tree falls and blocks public right-of-way, you can report it to SDOT’s after-hours dispatch, 206-386-1218. (Then please let us know too if you can – 206-293-6302 is our round-the-clock text/voice hotline.)
10:59 AM: If you missed the intense burst of rain – check out Elizabeth‘s brief but dramatic video of a West Seattle stairway becoming a waterfall:
That’s across from the Fauntleroy ferry dock.
11:15 AM: The thundershowers have left behind some major puddling. A texter warns the recurring trouble spot by the Delridge entrance to the bridge has it. Another texter says Admiral/California has some flooding (added: video)
And we received this photo from the midblock crosswalk in The Junction between Oregon and Alaska:
Clogged drains in the street are addressed by Seattle Public Utilities but if there’s one you can safely clear by your home or business, give it a try as they’re likely, pardon the phrase, backed up.
12:19 PM: That’s exactly what the neighbors at the infamous-for-clogging Fauntleroy/Raymond intersection did – Frank sent the photos and report:
The neighbors at Fauntleroy and Raymond banded together and drained Lake FaunRay!
(added) Ryan sent this video of rainwater rushing westbound down Avalon near 35th:
Thanks to everyone for the photos, video, and updates (in comments too) – we’re in a break right now but forecasters say more is on the way.
Before tonight’s full moonrise, this morning brought a beautiful almost-full moonset. Thanks to Chris Frankovich for the photo above and James Bratsanos for the photo below. No weather alerts tonight, but morning lows are still expected to drop into the 30s until clouds and rain return, currently forecast for Tuesday/Wednesday.
Tomorrow’s moonset is 8:59 am, so it’ll be a little too light for views like those.
ADDED: Tonight’s full moon, photographed by Jerry Simmons:
2:29 PM: Thanks to Lynn Hall for that photo of the Olympics this morning, seen in their fall/winter coat (of snow) for the first time this season. Here in the lowlands, colder weather is approaching, and the National Weather Service has issued two alerts: a Frost Advisory for midnight tonight until 9 am Friday, a Freeze Watch for late Friday night through Saturday morning. The NWS explains: “For the Frost Advisory, temperatures as low as 34 will result in frost formation. For the Freeze Watch, sub-freezing temperatures as low as 30 (are) possible.”
P.S. Also remember that the cold weather means West Seattle’s volunteer-and-donation-powered emergency shelter is opening – we’ll be checking back to see what’s still on the wish list.
3:51 PM: One more great view of the snowy Olympics, this one sent by David Hutchinson:
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