7:01 AM: Emergency response at Delridge/Juneau.

7:48 AM: Most of that response has cleared; no traffic effects. Meantime, a Seattle Fire truck has responded to a bus shelter at 35th/Avalon (which side of 35th, we don’t know) for what’s described as a small “rubbish fire.”

7:59 AM: A rider tells us the fire was on the east side of 35th and that it was a “pretty good-sized fire,” with the burning materials including cardboard. SFD put it out quickly, though, and has already closed the call.

Earlier:

6:00 AM: Good morning. It’s Tuesday, January 16th. Schools and government offices are open again after the holiday, and we should be done with below-freezing temperatures, for now, later today – but beware of icy patches again this morning.

WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES

After another night in the 20s, the forecast says we’ll get back into the mid-to-upper 30s, with increasing clouds, and possibly a rain/snow mix later. Today’s sunrise will be at 7:52 am, sunset at 4:46 pm.

TRANSIT NOTES

Water Taxi today – Back to regular schedule. Check the real-time map if you’re wondering where the boat is.

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 (unless SDOT points the 35th/Avalon/Fauntleroy camera elsewhere):

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!

(Photo by Stephen Nielsen, from Lowman Beach)

According to the National Weather Service, tonight’s painted-sky sunset ushered in our final below-freezing night – until the next time Arctic air gets this far south. But until there’s been some time to thaw, be careful on the streets and sidewalks – we noticed numerous ice patches while out this afternoon. Ice was even plaguing this hummingbird, photographed by Ashley B. Harrison as it tried to scratch an icicle off the underside of its beak:

Tomorrow is expected to start clear enough that we might get one more look at mountain views like these before the clouds start taking over:

(This photo and next, by James Bratsanos, from Alki)

There’s still talk in the forecast of some snow or freezing rain mixed in with regular rain starting tomorrow night, but the NWS’s forecast discussion warns that’s not a sure thing. Meantime – today’s high was 38, low 21, respectively 10 and 17 degrees below normal for this date.

(Photo by Michael Burke, from Fauntlee Hills)

5:06 PM: We did get into the 30s today – but the temperature’s below freezing again already, and that’s still causing trouble. Thanks to the readers who’ve reported weather-related problems – for example, the sign up on the door at Spud Fish and Chips on Alki, closed because of broken pipes. We’ve also heard from a reader who reports:

We live on 35th between Brandon and Findlay. There seems to be some kind of water leak nearer Findlay that is running down the street and is now just a sheet of ice.

We pointed them to Seattle Public Utilities (206-386-1800). More weather notes to come.

6:25 PM: Though the weather was very cold, the views were beautiful again today. Above, Lynn Hall‘s photo of the Olympics early this morning; below, Kanit Cottrell‘s photo of the sunset colors and moon at day’s end:

We’ve also received yet another report of pipe trouble – a reader who says an apartment building in the Fairmount Park area is dealing with flooding after a break. And SPU’s water-outage map shows emergency repairs are under way in the 7700 block of 20th SW, with an outage affecting more than 70 homes. (The map also says the situation on 55th SW reported here last night was repaired by 12:30 am.) Today’s official high was 31, official low 19; normal would be 48/38.

7:30 PM: A commenter reports service has been restored in the 7700 block of 20th SW. A new problem has popped up – a reader emailed to say that water is flowing from the northwest corner of California/Juneau (former fitness studio) and down the street, so beware of possible road ice in that area.

(Photo by Jerry Simmons)

4:14 PM: The snow-covered Olympics have shown themselves today, bringing in some pretty pictures to go with this update on our continuing colder-than-normal weather. Some good news this afternoon – the National Weather Service‘s newest forecast suggests it will NOT drop into the teens again tonight; the temperature is expected to stay about where it is now, the low 20s, before “warming” into the low 30s tomorrow.

(Anonymously submitted reader photo)

Monday and Tuesday are expected to have highs in the mid-30, and a rain/snow mix is possible Tuesday and Wednesday. Meantime, no reports of major problems in West Seattle related to the mid-teens temperatures early this morning, though we did hear from someone whose pipes froze. That’s also been a problem today for Washington State Ferries, with a source telling us both terminals and boats have had trouble with frozen pipes; the official WSF alerts show the restrooms out of service at Vashon Island as a result.

4:20 PM: Moments after publishing this, we heard police report in to dispatch that SPU needs to be contacted about what appears to be a break beneath the 3800 block of 55th SW.

6:03 PM: Thanks to commenter SJ for posting the photo of what’s happening there:

Meanwhile, the day ended with a scenic sunset:

Thanks to Brooke Gosztola for that photo!

7 PM: Thanks to the texter who sent an update on the 55th SW water problem – and this photo:

As the sign shows, there’s a closure now at Charlestown/55th – both streets. (Added) And here’s video sent by David, showing the water bubbling up from road cracks:

1:35 AM: The NWS forecast proved a bit too optimistic – the temperature has fallen into the teens again after all. The Saturday early-morning low was 15 (not a record for the date – that was 11 in 1950) so we’ll see where this goes.

Off we go into a frosty night. David Hutchinson‘s photo, above, shows freezing mist “sea smoke” above Elliott Bay, as seen from Alki. This is forecast to be a dry but extremely cold night – low in the teens, wind chill as low as single digits. Also from Alki, another idea for keeping hummingbirds fed, as previously discussed:

Lance writes, “Using a lava lamp base and placing the hummingbird feeder on top to keep from freezing. Works great, even on windy Alki right now.” Meantime, SDOT crews continue treating the roads.

We photographed that plow-equipped truck on Thursday. We also learned from a reader that just in case of trouble, SDOT had crews staying at West Seattle’s only motel, The Grove, last night. We asked about that, and here’s how spokesperson Mariam Ali explained: “To facilitate seamless and safe operations, we have secured hotel accommodations for our crews throughout Seattle. Given that a majority of our team resides outside the city limits, this step is crucial in enabling them to reach their job sites promptly and safely. Our crews often work extended hours and face demanding schedules, and it is paramount to us that they have access to a nearby resting place.” SDOT has more than 100 people assigned to about 50 vehicles, including plows, de-icing trucks, and salt spreaders. You can find links to SDOT’s winter-weather maps here.

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.

(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:

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!

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.