(scroll/refresh for latest WSB updates and WSB’er comments – WSB Traffic cams page HERE – links/open-closed list HERE)

We got that photo on Monday, set it aside, and can’t find who to credit. Regardless of how you feel about the snow, it just says “Christmas Eve” to us. So – good morning! If you have early info to share or questions to ask, this is the place. Live updates from the multiple sources we monitor will resume around 5:30. Till then, here’s our list of links/open/closed (and remember, Metro’s put out a service advisory for not just today, but the holiday schedule that follows).

6:29 AM UPDATE: As Sage K was first to note in comments, it’s been snowing about two hours. So if we’re supposed to get up to four inches out of this, that means it’ll be doing so for some hours to come. The early-morning forecast has the “winter weather advisory” in effect till 4 pm. How much snow? Via Facebook, Talani at Stor-More Self Storage (WSB sponsor) says 2″. On TV, someone just said WSDOT has picked up half a ton of broken (or otherwise lost) chains from local freeways. Scott K sent proof of snow-clearing on California SW (past the long-closed Chuck and Sally’s) around 1 am:

7:05 AM UPDATE: Reminder that bridge cams and other West Seattle-relevant road cams are on the WSB Traffic page.

Snow report from co-publisher Patrick‘s first shoveling of the WSB HQ walkway (and we’re 300-plus feet elevation if you’re keeping track): “Wet, pliable, mushy, there’s some holes in the snow, which means there’s some rain mixed in out there.” Not the same as the dry stuff we had during those VERY cold days. Meanwhile, here’s a heartwarming (and bonechilling) story of what happened while you slept: Kevin writes in the WSB Forums about neighbors digging out a stuck bus south of Morgan Junction overnight.

7:41 AM UPDATE: Reports in the comments and via Facebook suggest bus-catching is working relatively well this morning. Thanks to everyone who continues to share stories so your West Seattle neighbors will get first alert when it’s not. Quick update just in from SDOT via Twitter: “SDOT plowing inbound commute roads in Seattle. Arterials are plowed with passable road conditions. Motorists should go slow.” (Twitter is limited to 140 characters per message, if you didn’t already know that.) Weather update – Some commenters report it’s raining. You can hear that toward the start and end of this clip from California/Thistle within the past half-hour:

When it’s light – if you’re home – please remember to check your downspouts and storm drains, to avoid a whole new round of trouble (flooding, puddling, worse) once The Big Melt is in full swing.

7:59 AM UPDATE: “Wintry mix” is our description for what’s happening out there. On the forecast beat, Cliff Mass says this morning that it still appears more rain is in store as a “stronger system” moves in this afternoon. Airport update from TV – “No weather related problems” but parking is tough to come by. Meantime, if temperatures drop again tonight, the issue will be the same as last night – you can get there in the morning but can you get home in the evening? This e-mail just in from Tamsen (e-mail us any time at editor@westseattleblog.com):

I just checked your site and don’t see many reports about the commute this am. But, I am going to wait awhile before trying to go into work because last night I couldn’t get out of downtown Seattle. Three 21 buses passed us up at Seneca and 1st ave from 5:00pm – 7:00pm. Two cabs said they wouldn’t go to WS and then finally one cab driver said he’d take us. Four of us piled into the cab and he took us as far as 35th and Morgon. So, if I go in to work it will depend on if this changes to rain so I can hope to get back home.

8:16 AM UPDATE: The Velvet Bulldog sends a photo of Caffe Ladro barista Leslie making snowmen because customers were few and far between this morning:

8:30 AM UPDATE: As already discussed in comments, there’s a new problem at Sea-Tac – de-icer got into a ventilation system. It’s happening on board a plane at gate N-17, per KIRO. KING says eye irritation is the major problem.

8:35 AM UPDATE: A report from the airport – NOT regarding that problem, but in case you’re wondering what it’s like at the airport in general (NOTE THE PARKING RESERVATION PROBLEM), Brian just sent this:

On plane now, waiting an hour for deicer truck. I’m sure other flights are delayed too. All parking is gone at airport, MasterPark and Thrifty. We had a reservation at Thrifty and they denied it. We literally got one of the last 5 spaces at the airport.

On the bright side, security was fast and friendly.

Bus update from orcmid on Twitter: “08:00 MT #55 and #54 depart Alaska Junction for downtown, seem on schedule.” On TV, Bellevue has switched from rain back to big fluffy snowflakes, in case you have to head that way. But driving is VERY slick – co-publisher P just reported somebody going sideways downhill on Thistle.

8:42 AM UPDATE: The official word from the city on residential trash pickup. None, AGAIN, today:

Residential garbage, recycling, food and yard waste
collection has been delayed in Seattle today, Wednesday, Dec. 24, due to
dangerous road conditions. Wednesday residential customers will be
collected next Wednesday Dec. 31.

The city*s collections contractors have been running limited commercial
routes around the clock this week, providing service urgent commercial
accounts where containers are accessible. Service priorities include
hospitals, health facilities, grocers and other accounts with severe
capacity constraints.

*The collections crews are working around the clock to reach priority hospitals, health facilities, grocers and other urgent accounts with limited capacity,* according to Hans Van Dusen, solid waste contracts manager for Seattle Public Utilities.

*They have about 35 trucks out today in Seattle with full chains and double crews to reach the vital accounts. However, snow accumulation is still hampering access to streets, alleys and many commercial containers.*

Residential collections were suspended Thursday Dec. 18, through today, Wednesday Dec. 24, due to snow fall and road conditions. Limited commercial routes have been run Monday through Wednesday this week reaching approximately 30 percent of the businesses accounts in the city. Contractors are continually inspecting all neighborhoods throughout the day for service opportunities.

Due to the Christmas holiday on Dec. 25, Thursday and Friday customers will be delayed one day. Thursday customers will be collected Friday, Dec. 26, and Friday customers will be collected Saturday, Dec. 27.

Customers whose collections have been delayed by a week can set out double their normal amount of garbage at no additional charge. When setting out extra waste, customers are encouraged to place perishable food items in their collection containers and set bagged non-perishable items next to the containers. Customers who have had their collections missed two weeks in a row can also take their waste to Seattle*s Recycling and Disposal Stations, where it will be accepted at no charge.

Seattle’s recycling and disposal stations, at South Park and Wallingford, are open today, but will be closed on Christmas Day, Dec. 25, and New Year*s Day, January 1.

And remember that if you are among those of us who have been missed for TWO weeks, the city says that’s TRIPLE pickup next week. Here’s hoping this is all gone by then.

8:45 AM UPDATE: Alaska Flight 528 from Sea-Tac to Burbank was the flight involved in the deicer mishap, says Alaska spokesperson on Channel 5. Plane’s been “evacuated.”

8:52 AM UPDATE: If you’re Ballard-bound, beware of a big bus mishap causing traffic trouble there, per our pals at MyBallard.com.

9:13 AM UPDATE: Signs of life in The Junction — Lora at Hotwire Coffee (WSB sponsor, and planning to be open Christmas morning at 8 am) says it’s raining and people are “starting to walk around” – she sends pix, starting with this look south on California SW from outside her coffeehouse:

And looking north (that’s the California/Genesee stoplight in the background):

And a road update from Talani at Stor-More (via Facebook, where you can “friend” us at WS Blog): “”Update on Avalon…cars seem to be traveling without too many problems in a lot of slush, as we have mixed rain at this hour…snow is still piled up in the center lane on Avalon…”

9:27 AM UPDATE: A side conversation on Twitter re: clearing your storm drain led to a reminder from Hopey about a link that might help if you’re looking for yours – we reported it here on WSB almost two years ago as a “cool tool” for researching your home’s history – look up your Side Sewer Card here (the “back” has a list of some of the neighborhood names back in the day).

9:55 AM UPDATE: Words of wisdom from whomever’s sending out the WSDOT Twitter updates: “Be prepared for winter driving conditions, slush is only fun in Slurpees.” Another weather note: It’s getting a bit breezy out there. And yes, it’s yucky everywhere – via Twitter tip, here’s a YouTube link to video of stuck and abandoned cars at 24th/Aloha on Capitol Hill.

If you need to get to a city Neighborhood Services Center to pay a bill or handle something else today, Delridge NSC coordinator Ron Angeles has sent an update on planned hours today – his is open till 6 pm (except for lunch break 1-2 pm), the one in The Junction is closed.

10:40 AM UPDATE: Just got some bus updates and advice from West Seattleite “orcmid” via Twitter: “The 08:09 MT #54 to downtown from Alaska Junction took viaduct and Seneca to 3rd avenue (but not s topping at Seneca) … MT #14 toward Summit from 4th & PIke could not get up to Broadway around 9:20, passengers had to walk … With Metro buses on reroutes and variations of snow routes, always ask drivers about your destination. … At a rerouted destination, ask driver where to find return bus and what markings might be. May not match nos. at stop.” In the “more practical advice” department, the city of Burien has just sent a news release about roofs and the load caused by water-laden snow – it’s not really city-specific so you might want to read it.

10:51 AM FREE CHRISTMAS TREE BULLETIN — Just got a phone call (206-293-6302, call us 24-7) that Holy Rosary Tree Lot behind Admiral Safeway is GIVING AWAY THE REST OF ITS TREES starting at noon.

11:24 AM UPDATE: Co-publisher Patrick went out on a road-scouting mission and reports that in general, California SW is “bare and wet” – it’s the side roads that are still trouble, with big piles o’snow. Photos should be back shortly. CANCELLATION UPDATE – Just got word that Westside Unitarian Universalist Congregation has canceled tonight’s service. We have a running list of previously scheduled Christmas Eve services on the Holidays page; we’ll be checking to see if anybody else has changes/cancellations.

11:51 AM UPDATE: From scootinoldskool via Twitter: “California Ave STILL has a Jersey barrier made of snow… except where there’s a traffic island made of snow.” Meantime, we’re uploading our pix now. Main roads passable but LOTS of people out there. … And in fact, our photos show that “Jersey barrier” – from The Junction, first:

North from The Junction (that’s JF Henry on the left):

SDOT communications director Rick Sheridan is doing a phone interview on TV right now and said they’re aggressively working on secondary roads. Meantime, one more photo from the recent WSB scouting trip – Morgan Junction:

12:36 PM UPDATE: Lari sent this photo of the traffic backup in the Admiral Junction area (eastbound on Admiral, she said it was backed up to at least 49th SW):

12:47 PM UPDATE: Karen sends this photo of a Seattle Public Utilities crew doing some work at Delridge/Myrtle:

We’ve said it before but gotta say it again – GO MAKE SURE YOUR DOWNSPOUTS AND STORM DRAINS ARE CLEAR now that the melt is on – we don’t want to have to be doing flood-crisis coverage next! Also, take care of your neighborhood birds – we just cleared our bird bath – they’re thirsty! Check out this great shot Darren sent from Arbor Heights:

One more note – we’ve checked with West Seattle grocery stores regarding what time they close tonight, since it’s Christmas Eve after all – Metropolitan Market, QFC, Thriftway all say 6 pm — all West Seattle Safeways are closing at 7 pm.

2:31 PM UPDATE: As discussed in comments, the mayor had a media availability within the past half-hour. We didn’t get notice in time to change direction and get over to 7th/Dearborn from White Center (Pho 54, open till 6) in time. Here’s hoping a tv station turns around the “raw” (unedited) video before long. We’ll link any other accounts we find of it, too. HA.org calls the salt/no-salt controversy “Frozenwatergate” and a commenter mentions a new (albeit misspelled) Facebook group.

Weather note: Rhonda Porter (WSB sponsor) just tweeted that Alki just had a 44 mph wind gust – it’s raining fairly steadily out there too – other parts of the city reported flickers early today so be forewarned.

2:50 PM UPDATE: KING account of mayor’s news conference – he gave the response a “B.” 684-3000 is now a city hotline for problems relating to city services — 684-3000, for frozen pipes, flooding, power outages, etc., and it will be answered tomorrow too, 9 am-5 pm, 24/7 otherwise.

3:15 PM UPDATE: On our way back from White Center, brought back a photo of 35th, looking north after turning from Roxbury:

Here’s the link to raw video of the mayor’s news conference. Looks like the Q and A is a separate link (we’re still watching the first one). (Watching it: Hizzoner said he too was “frustrated” but also said that once in a while “Mother Nature will challenge us.” He promised a review, “did you have the tools you needed to do the best possible job? what if we were to get hit by this or something similar in the future? … We’re not Buffalo or Cleveland where we have hundreds of pieces of equipment to deal with this … Those Midwest cities are flat and that means additional flexibility. … (Today) we’ve brought on a private contractor with a road grader and additional pieces of equipment.”)

Several power outages are reported in other parts of the city; here’s the latest list.

3:37 PM UPDATE: The Holy Rosary “Christmas tree giveaway” (mentioned earlier) is over – they’ve closed the lot.

3:55 PM UPDATE: More pix just in – Robert sent this from The Junction’s latest traffic jam:

And Alki slush from Orin O’Neill:

Got a little shopping yet to do? Just got this from WSB sponsor Click! Design That Fits, via Twitter: “Customers still coming in, so we’re still open, past closing time of 3pm. But call before heading down to make sure we’re still here-328-9252”

4:10 PM UPDATE: Another Alki Ave angle from Orin, looking west this time, past the bathhouse:

Here’s the newest forecast — still possibly some snow showers ahead. But in general, it’s still mostly melty out there, as evidenced by the “listing snowman” photographed in Gatewood by Jill Schmieder from Altena Photography:

(WSB Traffic cams page HERE – links/open-closed list HERE)

WSB contributing photojournalist Christopher Boffoli sent that photo from the 41st/Edmunds truck nightmare that unfolded within the past hour or so. As we wrote near the end of afternoon coverage, AVOID THAT AREA – “sheet of ice.” Just a block away, at 41st/Alaska, Christopher reports, “Alaska is wet but intersections are a mess of slush and ice.” See for yourself:

If you are just checking in for the first time in a few hours, by the way, you may find some helpful commuting/shopping information in the post/comments we just closed – see it here. One shopping note from e-mail: WSB sponsor Click! Design That Fits is open till 7 tonight in the Admiral District, and tomorrow till about 3.

6:33 PM UPDATE: And there’s news from north West Seattle, from Jackie:

To add to all the other difficulties we’re undergoing, water has been shut off on SW Lander below Admiral (map) since mid-afternoon – there’s a break or some other problem opposite SW Campbell Place. The upside is that the city had to clear at least one car’s width of snow from the road so that the repair trucks could get to the problem area!

And scanner now has word that Edmunds/California eastbound (map) is blocked. Not sure if this is a new problem, or being shut down because of the aforementioned hill woes. Just avoid the area.

6:56 PM UPDATE: Heartening news from Mary at Twilight, re: the followup we published earlier today on their decision to try to turn the art theft (yesterday’s original story here) into something good: A commenter asked when Twilight will be open tomorrow, and she answered quickly, “I will be here 11-3 with jingle bells on! I may try to get here earlier, but call first 933.2444. Thanks for all the support! we filled a box with toys today! We are still collecting for the West Seattle Food Bank too.” Twilight is on SW Alaska just west of Easy Street. Meantime, for those of you awaiting UPS deliveries – a truck just showed up on California south of Thistle (map) a moment ago, so they’re still out there. And if you’d like a look at Admiral/California, RealLowVibe‘s Twitter stream included the link to this recent photo. And shortly afterward – a snowplow appears, in this pic. ** Listening to city crews on the scanner – 42nd/Oregon (map) also “ice-packed.”

7:11 PM UPDATE: From Genesee Hill, Creighton sends word (and picture) of a postal truck’s woes at 49th/Genesee (map): “Poor guy is trying his best to get up the street, after delivering a package about half way up the hill, but his chains aren’t enough. He’s just sliding around. With the help of some generous neighbors they’re about to attempt a push.”

8:08 PM UPDATE: Scott C sends this link to the latest radar animation with the alert: “It’s coming.” And from Christopher, video of the stuck-truck trouble he covered earlier on the back side of Jefferson Square:

Happy ending! (But how about those SPARKS?)

8:27 PM UPDATE: Scanner says there’s a vehicle blocking northbound traffic on Delridge at Orchard. Also, as we just wrote in comments, our request to SDOT for the official city statement on the no-salt controversy (and for some more info on the grader that appeared today) has been answered, and we just published it here.

8:59 PM UPDATE: Update from Creighton on the postal truck on Genesee Hill (see above):

Mini saga over just now: The neighbor’s efforts to push such a large truck uphill proved futile. A USPS tow truck was called in and hooked a cable to the front of the stuck postal truck to spin it 180 degrees downhill. Wondering whose packages didn’t get delivered (albeit with valiant effort!) tonight?

And Ingrid in Sunrise Heights tells the tale of the commute from hell, getting home from downtown:

I arrived at a bus stop at 2nd and Columbia at about 6pm tonight, and there was a woman there who¹d been waiting since 3:30! We watched several full buses go by ­- apparently, Metro wasn¹t running articulated buses tonight. Several of us ended up waiting at the bar, Contour, and rushing out to find each bus full, only to go back inside. I eventually got a ride from my partner. I had no idea it could be so hard to get home!

9:20 PM UPDATE: Sage K has more on the Delridge/Orchard (intersection by Arco/Home Depot/etc.) problem mentioned above:

“Just came home and there is a gas tanker truck stuck in the northbound lane of Delridge at Orchard. It was attempting to turn into the Shell station there. They are attempting to dig it out and have people directing traffic around it. Don’t know how long it will be there.

9:54 PM UPDATE: The county has updated its list of closures. Newspaper columnists are starting to sound the horn for marching on City Hall; there’s one thing we’re reminded of, reading the comments that follow this P-I column — We haven’t seen much of Hizzoner since things got ugly. Back on Saturday, he led a “briefing” at 5 pm, then another one at 7 pm (without saying much, as we noted toward the start of our Saturday night coverage), and since we are on the media-advisory list, we knew about those, but we haven’t seen anything since. Same thing happened during the days of powerlessness after the December 2006 windstorm — not even an “I feel your pain” type tour. If we were him, we’d have a news conference on the steps of the house that, as Gina pointed out in afternoon comments, is on a street as unplowed as many of ours, and just say, hey, we know you’re ticked off, we’re trying to do better day by day and we’ll figure out what to do better next time. Honesty helps too. /soapbox

10:12 PM UPDATE: And here is yet another example of the problem – another video clip from WSB contributing photojournalist Christopher Boffoli showing the crazy road conditions in The Junction – West Seattle’s “downtown”:

Listening to the scanner for the nth hour, the drinking-game phrase can now switch from “sheet of ice” to “kids throwing snowballs at cars.” Police somewhere out there being dispatched to just such a call, again.

10:24 PM UPDATE: Our friends at Beacon Hill Blog reported, via Twitter, they just got a package delivered by UPS – after 9 pm. So if you’re waiting, there’s still hope.

MIDNIGHT: This thread stays up overnight – like Tuesday, our morning post will open at 4 am, and we’ll be on live-update watch by 5:30-ish. Going to go update the links/open/close post now, since there’s a fair amount of info available about what’s planned Wednesday (as in, today).

12:15 AM UPDATE: The Times has posted the followup to what we’re sure was the smash hit story of their site on Tuesday — the saltlessness shocker — today, why (some) environmentalists say “huh? sand is worse!”

12:33 AM UPDATE: As for Cliff Mass‘s latest post (Tuesday night), he doesn’t seem to know what’s going to happen with the weather today either.

1:10 AM NOTE: Not West Seattle, but — 3 am is when our favorite Christmas website, NORAD Tracks Santa, goes live. If you’re wide awake and looking to get in the holiday mood, you’ll find it here.

(we’ve added a few more! scroll down)

We’ve been spotlighting some of the most amazing creations we’ve received photos of – the ice sculpture with the fish and the Alki “waterfront condo” – and now, thanks to Stephen Hughes-Jelen in High Point, the snow fort. He says it’s at the “current dead end of High Point Drive.” Also, SR sent us a neighbor’s “Snow Jesus,” photographed on 34th between Barton and Roxbury:

ADDED LATER MONDAY NIGHT: A 12-foot-tall “snow angel,” by Brian, 20th between Thistle and Cloverdale (map):

ADDED VERY EARLY TUESDAY: Gavin Ho with his rendition of R2D2:

Another Alki igloo shot (forgive us for losing the photographer’s name) – not sure if this is the same one we showed on Monday, but it has the perfect decor:

ADDED TUESDAY AFTERNOON: Patty sent this and says James from West Seattle Fence “can’t build fences (right now) but can build a snowman” … 52nd/Genesee.

(scroll/refresh for ongoing updates; see today’s earlier coverage here; for a list of handy links and closed/open reports, CLICK HERE)

There is no cheerier sighting on a day like today than The Snowplow (this one headed south on California to eastbound Thistle a short time ago). Digging, plowing, and some melting seem to be the theme of the afternoon; morning coverage is here – let the afternoon/evening coverage begin.

2:11 PM UPDATE: Some reminders: Links to the latest transit info etc. are in the open/closed/links post that we’re continuing to update elsewhere on the page. Meantime, some afternoon photos – 2 pm on Yancy east of Avalon, via Facebook (where we’re WS Blog) from Talani at Stor-More Self-Storage (WSB sponsor):

2:21 PM UPDATE: This just in: “Trenton was just plowed from Delridge eastbound.”

3:10 PM UPDATE: The latest news release from the city includes this (plus some other info about shelters and fire safety; read the entire release here) info:

City of Seattle departments entered another day of snow response by continuing to plow roads, shelter the vulnerable and ensuring homes and businesses have power. …

The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) continues 24-hour operations to plow, de-ice and sand across the city. The department’s focus remains main arterials, bridges and other elevated road structures, streets near hospitals, and bus routes.

SDOT continues to deploy its entire winter response fleet of 27 trucks on the streets. Two of those trucks have been assigned to the downtown core. Crews will move to secondary arterials as soon as conditions allow. Due to an ice-related problem with a track switch, the South Lake Union Seattle Streetcar will remain out of service until further notice.

To date, SDOT crews have used more than 6,000 tons of sand and dispersed more than 12,000 gallons of liquid de-icer. SDOT continues to advise that motorists use caution and avoid driving if possible. If motorists must drive, they are advised to reduce their speeds, transition carefully from side streets to arterials and give snowplows ample room to operate.

City Light: No major outages, disconnects suspended

Seattle City Light currently has no major outages. Over the weekend, the utility responded to a number of small outages. No more than 150 customers were without power at any one time and crews quickly restored power. Most power loss was caused by either cars hitting poles or trees falling into lines as a result of heavy snow on the branches.

The utility has sufficient crews available for any potential outages. The wind is not expected to be an issue, helping to reduce the likelihood of service interruption.

Nickels announced today that Seattle City Light has suspended disconnection notices through January 9, 2009. Any customer needing assistance in making payments on their City Light bill should contact the Call Center as soon as possible to make arrangements. Customers can call (206) 684-3000 Monday – Friday to talk with a representative.

Garbage collection

Seattle Public Utilities will collect additional garbage at no charge when weather permits the movement of heavy trucks in residential neighborhoods. When setting out extra waste, customers are encouraged to place perishable food items in their collection containers and set bagged non-perishable items next to the containers. Customers can dispose of their garbage for free at Seattle’s Recycling and Disposal Stations in South Park and Fremont. Seattle’s recycling and disposal stations are open today.

Single-family residential garbage, recycling, food and yard waste collection has been delayed Monday, Dec. 22, due to dangerous road conditions. City collection contractors will attempt to service today’s missed customers Tuesday or Wednesday, if road conditions improve. Customers missed today should leave their containers out tomorrow. If materials are not collected tomorrow, then customers should bring in their containers until next week.

Due to the Christmas holiday, Thursday and Friday customers will be delayed one day. Thursday customers will be collected Friday, Dec. 26, and Friday customers will be collected Saturday, Dec. 27. …

Keep storm drains clear

People are advised to avoid piling snow on top of storm drains when shoveling sidewalks and driveways. These drains need to be kept clear, so that when the snow melts the runoff has some place to go. As the snow starts to thaw, you can attempt to clear snow from drains when streets are clear of cars.

Protect your pipes

Seattle Public Utilities reminds residents to prepare water pipes for cold weather. Shut off outside faucets, drain the water and protect them by insulating them with rags or foam covers. Pipes in exposed or unheated areas (attics, basements and garages) should be wrapped with tape and insulating materials, available at local hardware stores. Drain and remove all outdoor hoses, and shut off and drain in-ground sprinkler systems.

Residents are also urged to protect indoor sink pipes that are against exterior walls, by opening under-sink cabinet doors, allowing heat to circulate. During severe cold, allow the faucet farthest from your front door to slowly drip cold water. Set your thermostat no lower than 55 degrees Fahrenheit, day or night (even if you are away).

If a water pipe breaks, immediately close the main shut-off valve to stop excessive flooding. If you cannot turn off the main shut-off valve, SPU customers can call (206) 386-1800 and a crew will turn off the water at the meter for a standard service charge.

Scott C adds – tending to your downspouts is vital too:

remind folks to make sure that the exits to their downspouts are clear so that they can drain. I just pushed snow off the roof over our garage and found the downspout was plugged from snow gathering in front of it, and the water melting off the roof was frozen at the end of it. This can end up with the water either breaking the downspout and or the water backing up and going under the roofing into the house. A few minutes can save lots of bucks.

Scott also sent this photo of a lethal-looking icicle coming off his roof:

Also, this just came in from Metro – the morning outlook – mostly boilerplate you’ve read before, but nonetheless, of great interest:

With travel conditions still not stabilized, King County Metro Transit will be offering approximately half of its regular weekday service on Tuesday morning, Dec. 23.

Please check the Metro Online website and click on the “adverse weather” link before you leave home to see if your bus route is operating and if it is on snow routing. Weather forecasts indicate freezing temperatures overnight could result in icy roads for the Tuesday morning commute.

Difficult driving conditions and ten straight days of snow operations are beginning to take their toll on Metro’s bus fleet. The number of buses available for peak service has decreased each day over the past week due to difficulties some coach models experience in the deeper snow or in prolonged icy conditions. There are still many roadways in Metro’s service area that are snow-packed, icy, or closed to travel.

Metro continues to take a cautious approach to providing the safest bus service possible. It is focusing on providing service on cleared highways and arterial roads, and to major transit centers and park-and-ride lots.

Bus passengers should be aware that travel conditions can change quickly, and this list of disrupted service may be revised at any time due to weather and road conditions. In some locations, where roads are impassable for large buses, Metro will be operating chained shuttles.

Passengers should be prepared to board buses at major transit centers, cleared arterials, or at the top or bottom of hills. Please dress warmly, wear appropriate footwear, and be prepared to wait. The buses that are running are expected to be significantly delayed.

This transit plan will continue until weather and road conditions improve, which means almost all bus service will be significantly limited. Metro appreciates everyone’s patience, and reminds customers that safety for passengers and bus drivers is the agency’s No. 1 concern.

Information about bus status is available on Metro’s Ice & Snow page, but conditions are changing rapidly. You can also call the Metro Customer Information Office at (206) 553-3000, but call volumes are high and there may be a wait to talk to a CIO representative. People should closely monitor the latest weather and traffic reports for information about travel conditions.

Worried about your roof as the snow becomes heavy and wet? Here’s some helpful info from the P-I.
3:31 PM UPDATE: Road report from co-publisher Patrick – SW Thistle between Denny Middle School and Delridge is UNPLOWED and NASTY. Delridge – which he traveled from Thistle to Andover – is OK. And if you’re heading south on Delridge toward/through White Center – Full Tilt Ice Cream is open (they’re usually closed Mondays; Justin explains on White Center Now why they’re open today)!

3:55 PM UPDATE: Before the daylight goes away – more photos from Scott C – first, the future park (part of it, anyway) at Myrtle Reservoir:

From there, 35th looking North:

And looking south:

If you can’t quite place Myrtle Reservoir – it’s next to the water towers, close to the highest spot in the city – here’s a map. Another shot – 35th at Webster, looking south (the northbound lanes look great):

4:01 PM UPDATE: This report just in from Tom:

Just took a walk from our house in Arbor Heights to the Roxbury Safeway. The side streets are terrible – close to a foot of snow on the road. Most of the tracks in the street are being made by the ATVs driving around our neighborhood. And the sidewalks are terrible – I walked in the street most of the way. However, Roxbury itself is fine. The snow’s melting, so the roads are bare with lots of slush on them. Sadly, we’ve got too much snow on our street for any serious melting to happen. Maybe tomorrow.

Here are some of his photos – first, Roxbury looking west (toward 35th a few blocks away):

Closer look at Roxbury and 30th:

And a snowman guarding Roxhill Park:

Reminder that traffic cams of West Seattle relevance — including the bridge, the ramp to I-5, and the ferry dock – can be found on the WSB Traffic page. Meantime, the libraries have just announced their plans for tomorrow:

The Seattle Public Library plans to open the Central Library downtown from noon to 5 p.m. and all 26 branches from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 23.

5:16 PM UPDATE: Mentioned this in comments and also published it in the Twitter box in the right sidebar (the light blue box) but for anyone who missed it there (that’s usually where we put instant word of possible breaking news, among other things) – the fire call was something small inside a house in the 6300 block of 46th SW and the resident reported it out even before the crews arrived.

5:33 PM UPDATE: No proof that it’s weather-related but no proof it’s not – Ballard had a somewhat sizable power outage for a while late today; here’s an update from our friends at MyBallard.com. With ice, snow, heavily laden tree branches still out there, keep those flashlights handy once again, just in case.

6:17 PM UPDATE: By all accounts (particularly in comments), the roads that started to get slushy today are freezing over again – so it may be even more dangerous out there than it was last night/this morning. Meantime, we just posted a separate Crime Watch story that’s going to stay atop the page for a while – the trash update is still in the works. (Bottom line though, if you have Monday delivery, don’t bring it in, they’re going to decide tomorrow morning whether they can make the missed Monday rounds on Tuesday.) We’ll also be updating the open/closed/links post by 8:30 with everything we’ve learned about tomorrow (although everything we know so far already has been posted here in the afternoon updates, or earlier). (Some of that information is already there now.)

9:06 PM UPDATE: The University of Washington has suspended operations again for tomorrow. We’re catching up with some of the West Seattle pix that have come in recently; for starters, via Twitter, RealLowVibe noted the posting of these pix from Alki Ave tonight, captioned “So much for effective plowing and sanding.” There are other nighttime road reports in comments — few of them good. Meantime – if things were normal, we would have been bringing you Christmas lights photos every night from around West Seattle. We got some of them in before Snowpocalypse ’08 (as many have dubbed it). In comments, it’s been suggested that we all plan on lights tours AFTER Christmas, once things are truly drivable again, and we can go for that. In the short run – any photos welcome if you can photograph your own lights or your neighbor’s lights – Johnston sent this closeup of his nicely iced lights:

Ours, on the shrubbery out front, are now sadly buried beneath the snow co-publisher Patrick valiantly cleared from the sidewalk. Also some nice sunset scenes tonight – Jana posted this one on Facebook after a trip to Alki:

9:38 PM UPDATE: The National Weather Service posted its latest “forecast discussion” at midevening. Excerpt:

TONIGHT AND TUESDAY WILL BRING A SHORT BREAK IN THE WEATHER. A WEAK SYSTEM WILL BRING A LITTLE MORE SNOW TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY MORNING. THE SNOW WILL CHANGE TO RAIN WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON OVER AT LEAST SOME AREAS. A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM MOVING SOUTH ALONG THE COAST ON CHRISTMAS MORNING WILL BRING ANOTHER CHANCE FOR RAIN AND SNOW. A WARM FRONT FOLLOWS ON FRIDAY.

.SHORT TERM…TONIGHT IS A BLESSEDLY QUIET NIGHT. SKIES ARE PARTLY TO MOSTLY CLOUDY. TEMPERATURES WILL FALL INTO THE UPPER TEENS AND 20S. MELTED SNOW WILL LIKELY FREEZE AGAIN ON ROADWAYS…MAKING FOR A DIFFICULT COMMUTE TUESDAY MORNING.

THOUGH TEMPERATURES WILL ONCE AGAIN RISE INTO THE MID 30S ON TUESDAY…A WEAK IMPULSE MOVING ASHORE TUESDAY NIGHT WILL BRING SOME MORE SNOW. SNOW BEGINS LATE AND IS LIGHT AT FIRST…MAYBE AN INCH TUESDAY NIGHT.

10:08 PM UPDATE: We’ve published the trash-pickup story atop the home page; no startling revelations except perhaps that they don’t plan to be stingy about what “double” or “triple” pickup means when your trash DOES get picked up. Meanwhile, another closure note for tomorrow – in addition to the UW, which we mentioned last hour, South Seattle Community College (on Puget Ridge in West Seattle, for anybody who didn’t already know that) is closed again tomorrow too.

10:28 PM: Added another “amazing creation” to this post from earlier – a 12-foot snow angel. The flip side of all the snow – how easy it is to get stuck. If you are trying to get out tomorrow after staying home today, heed the advice of Kevin in Arbor Heights, who tells the tale of getting his “car STUCK in my own driveway, on relatively flat ground. I had it free after 5 minutes with a snow shovel. Just shows how little it takes to get stuck. Lots of ice lurking under what looks like fresh snow. I would advise folks to carry a snow shovel in the car if they have one.” Pic:

In case you’re wondering what else is going on out there – we’re taking some time tonight, besides sifting through the photos from today (thank you SO much to everyone who has taken the time to send them and please forgive us if we didn’t post yours), to check some of the usual sources we comb for West Seattle news in non-snowy times, plus working to update the events/holidays calendars (see the top “tab” bar under the sunset header – that’s how you get to other WSB pages) to catch up on more Christmas info. Will add updates here as we get them, of course, and watch the top of the home page for additional non-snow stories we’ll be adding in the next few hours.

11:26 PM UPDATE: Some more loose ends and interesting things to share. Remember the fire call earlier tonight, 6300 block of 46th SW (big dispatch as is SOP for a residential fire call, but it was out before crews arrived)? Kirk and friends happened to be out on a grocery run when several of the emergency vehicles went rushing by, and they uploaded it to YouTube:

11:52 PM UPDATE: Another interesting sight from the inbox – Heidi in Sunrise Heights reports they had to improvise when time came to come up with a sled for their “Little Man”:

Bonnie sent a beautiful photo earlier from Fauntlee Hills:

12:45 AM: Fascinating Times article about why the city doesn’t use salt on the roads.

1:06 AM: Seattle Police are getting called out again to Charlestown hill — “chronic location” as the dispatcher called it, “people drinking, snowmobiling, sledding.”

2:34 AM: Last item before we close this one out, with the morning post opening at 4 (and live updates resuming at 5:30) – from Hutch and company, the tuckered-out snowman:

(AM coverage is now closed; PM COVERAGE IS HERE; for a list of handy links and closed/open reports, CLICK HERE)

Live updates resuming. Please share road/bus stories for those who can’t stay home.

5:14 AM UPDATE: For bus riders – As of 4 am, as promised, Metro resumed updating its list of which bus routes are and aren’t running. See it here. A new forecast is out as of last hour; the accompanying “discussion” says some snow shower chances continue this morning but promises “DRIER NORTHERLY FLOW SETTING UP OVER WESTERN WASHINGTON TONIGHT.”

5:24 AM UPDATE: Words of warning from Linda Thielke, who should know because she’s coordinating media/public info for Metro and hearing from bus drivers all over: “Please warn everyone that road conditions are bad out there this morning. Even in the Seattle CBD (central business district), there are still snow-covered streets.”

5:36 AM UPDATE: Washington State Ferries says: “Normal service on all routes.” WSF’s service-bulletins list is on our list of links/what’s open/what’s closed (which we are updating for your reference IN ADDITION to including new info in this post as we get it).

5:52 AM UPDATE: Got word that the White Center Food Bank – which serves part of West Seattle too – REALLY needs help. From executive director Rick Jump:

The White Center Food Bank has 300 families scheduled to pick up their holiday baskets on Monday and another 300 scheduled for Tuesday. Our plan is to be open for those with appointments but I will probably need some additional volunteers to make this happen. A few of our loyal volunteers showed up last Friday and we served 144 families (out of the 300 scheduled that day). We will be open from 10am to 6pm. If there is anybody who lives within walking distance of the food bank OR has a 4 wheel drive vehicle and can safely get there we would greatly appreciate the extra help. I will also need help shoveling the sidewalks and part of the parking lot to make it safe for those who show up. Please help spread the word.

The food bank is at 10829 8th SW; here’s a map.

6:17 AM UPDATE: Via Twitter, WSDOT reports, “Road conditions in most areas of the state are compact snow, with ramps and overpasses still trouble spots.” We’re monitoring the scanner as well as TV, online, etc. And we’re watching airport-related news; a Twitter friend who’s at Sea-Tac says, “Departure lanes at Sea-Tac not moving – people getting out and walking to terminal.” Co-publisher Patrick reminds us we should mention this — the city DID NOT EXPECT to be able to pick up trash today (2nd Monday in a row for some of us) — we are checking with SPU to verify, but as of now, not that you can get it out anyway, likely not worth trying.

6:50 AM UPDATE: Our road report – looks like some clearing/compacting at California/Thistle (both arterials) but still very slow going. Thistle coming down the hill toward Cali:

And around the bend, heading north on Cali:

If you’re on an arterial (or other busy road), please send a pic if/when you can, particularly after sunrise – really helps in addition to the anecdotal reports in comments – editor@westseattleblog.com

CLICK AHEAD TO READ MORE OF TODAY’S AS-IT-HAPPENED COVERAGE:Read More

(scroll/refresh for the latest updates; AND for a list of handy links and closed/open reports, CLICK HERE)

(photo courtesy Amy, looking east/uphill on Thistle from Delridge)
It’s time to kick off the evening coverage, with a special focus on what we learn about planning for tomorrow – it may be school break, but a lot of folks are going to have to try to get to work tomorrow, so we’ll do what we can to help, with the latest news — including info from YOU, in the comments or via e-mail (editor@westseattleblog.com) – if you’re away from a computer and have something to share, call us 24/7 at 206-293-6302. First update: Some have asked when Metro will put up its information for tomorrow here. Metro’s very helpful and proactive Linda Thielke e-mailed WSB to explain:

We don’t want to update the snow & ice page until about 4 am Monday, because we still have Sunday service out on the road. If we were to put Monday’s service info online tonight, it would really confuse people. Anyone planning to ride Metro on Monday morning should check the site and then check again just before they need to leave home, because road conditions are changing rapidly.

Our Monday live updates will start by 5 am, by the way, to help with the morning commute. But in the meantime, we’re here for many more hours. Also note our new post with quick info-links and also known closures/who’s-open (like who’s delivering pizza tonight); that’s not meant to REPLACE discussion here, but a place to record what comes up here for your quick reference.

7:24 PM UPDATE: Just in from Josh Sutton of the West Seattle Family YMCA (WSB sponsor):

MONDAY: West Seattle Y Facility open at normal time

Fauntleroy Y Facility open at normal time

YMCA Licensed Child Care
Programs at Cooper, Concord & Arbor Heights Elementary are closed.
School Age Kids from all licensed Y programs can go to WS Elementary (High Point), open at 9am.
Preschool Kids from all licensed Y programs can go to WS YMCA PSCC, open at 8:30am.

Check website at westseattleymca.org anytime for more updates.

King County has just posted a running list of its open/closed info – here it is; also adding to the aforementioned links page.

7:36 PM UPDATE: More on the power-outage warning we posted at the end of the afternoon coverage – Now WSDOT has noted via Twitter that there’s word of some outages in Kitsap. No Seattle outages noted yet, but again, have your flashlight/etc. ready. This time, it’s not wind, but heavy snow taking out branches/lines, etc.

From Ingrid: “Happy first night of Hanukkah to the West Seattle Jews!” Indeed.

8 PM UPDATE: From Big Red at 29th/Thistle, side by side comparisons of how much snow has fallen in the past several hours – 3:30 pm at left, 7:30 pm at right:

Thinking about escaping to California? L.A.’s expecting a storm too. Tame compared to ours.

SEE THE REST OF OUR AS-IT-HAPPENED COVERAGE FROM THIS NIGHT BY CLICKING AHEAD:Read More

(photo courtesy Katie M – send pix to editor@westseattleblog.com)
Find morning/afternoon updates, photos, comments here. Note that we have added a Sea-Tac webcam to the right sidebar for airportgoers. Meantime, we launch the afternoon with a LONG citywide update from the city’s Emergency Ops Center – it’s now posted on the city website (read it here) – note the mention that MONDAY TRASH SERVICE IS LIKELY TO BE POSTPONED – also, Hiawatha Community Center is open till 5; West Seattle (Admiral) Library is open; Southwest Pool is open (though lessons are canceled). And this excerpt re: roads:

City Transportation crews are continuing to clear streets after Saturday night’s storm. SDOT currently has trucks plowing, sanding and de-icing city streets. Three of those trucks are devoted solely to the West Seattle Bridge and the Alaskan Way Viaduct. With more precipitation expected, clearing work will continue throughout the day citywide. The department’s primary focus will be principal arterials, bridges and other elevated road structures, streets near hospitals, and bus routes. Twenty one SDOT workers are cleaning sidewalks outside of hospitals for safe access.

.

1:14 PM UPDATE: Dasher the reindeer is at Capers. So if you’re going to The Junction, stop in there as well as getting your Santa photo at Cupcake Royale (till 3:30, and as mentioned in morning coverage, Santa is at Westwood Village till 4 pm):

Snowing like CRAZY again – just in time for the football game on TV, of course, so Seattle looks more like Green Bay … fitting for Coach Holmgren’s last game. Meantime – DL Byron from BikeHugger reports phone trouble on 56th SW, getting “all circuits are busy.” We will check with Qwest’s media unit about trouble.

1:27 PM UPDATE: Rey just sent some photos from around our Upper Fauntleroy ‘hood – thanks! First one, the stairs down from Cloverdale toward the Fauntleroy area, looking south:

And the official WSB HQ intersection, California/Thistle (but it’s Rey’s photo), looking north on Cali:

Uphill on Thistle, looking west (and sideways) to California:

Alkichick sends this link to her gallery of Alki photos taken “all week.” Meantime – HEAVY SNOW OUT THERE. From Arbor Heights, Darren sends this photo of 35th SW looking south from 105th:

1:43 PM UPDATE: Another restaurant report – Janie Pelligrini writes to say LA RUSTICA WILL BE OPEN TONIGHT! Vickie says The Bohemian is open for coffee till 3 pm. (We’d reported last night that they canceled brunch for today.) And reiterating, Hotwire is open till 5 pm. We will reinstate the “who’s open” list of quick links atop this post in a minute. Also, just in from JayDee on Alki via text message:

Celtic swell opens at 6; alki cafe open;alki bakery closes at 4; starbucks closes at 4; bamboo bar open until 10; pegasus closed? No note on the door. Cactus open to 9. Urban market is open. A 56 pulled up but cannot tell what the route is. Tully’s open, but hours are dependent on customers coming in.

And Shell just texted that Nail Time on California SW is open. Back to Alki – Alkichick’s pix include this one, probably the only birds we DON’T have to worry about in this weather?

In North Delridge, Jessie at Skylark says brunch continues till 3 pm. OK, there is an alarming headline on the P-I saying SIX MORE INCHES OF SNOW expected by tonight. Checking the forecasts for any verification of that. (…) Here’s the National Weather Service’s late-morning forecast. Up to 2″ today and up to 4″ tonight DO add up to six inches. That requires a cute pet photo before we get back to road conditions – this is Ellen‘s puggle Coco in Gatewood:

Ellen also sent this photo looking north on California all the way toward Morgan Junction and past to The Junction:

And in comments, word that another WSB sponsor, Alki Bike and Board, is renting snowshoes. Not sure where you get a snowmobile, but Bruce sent this photo from 34th SW:

2:18 PM UPDATE: From The Wilchers, a High Point pond panorama:

In comments – word that West Seattle Cellars is open till 5 pm. Meantime, a snow-creation photo – from Anne at Ventana Construction (WSB sponsor), left to right, it’s Logan, Jackson and Della with their newest friend:

We’re just getting some Admiral District photos in – this one from Kim:

This one’s from Lena:

Also from the Admiral District, via Twitter, WSB sponsor Click! Design That Fits sends this update:

Walking in the snow, seeing people ski to the store, feeling like we’re in a European village. Click! is open until 6pm and loving the snow

And if you can’t make it to the store, they have online shopping too. Here’s Lena’s photo looking in that general direction (Click! is by Blockbuster):

And back to Kim’s pix, Admiral Safeway:

2:43 PM UPDATE: Now as the snow intensifies (! new forecast within an hour or so!) – from Lori Ho at 16th/Thistle in Highland Park, Gavin Ho “standing proudly next to his snow fort”:

Another update from Capers in The Junction – last day to bring gifts to the Giving Tree for Hickman House. Remember that when this calms down, our local nonprofits are likely going to need a LOT of extra help – we will gather info as best we can to let everybody know how to pitch in.

2:55 PM UPDATE: JayDee toured Alki, as mentioned earlier (see his report above on who’s open/closed) – here are some of the pix he sent, starting with The Statue and Alki Cafe:

Admiral looking downhill/west from 59th:

And here’s another Alki icon – Whale Tail Park‘s namesake looks more like a beluga than its usual self, today:

Also from Alki, a crosscountry skier (and ferry) snapped by Brian:

Reminder about the WSB Traffic cams page (click the tab atop any WSB page) if anyone calls you from the Seahawks game asking about conditions getting home. Also, SDOT updated via Twitter that it’s now clearing routes away from the stadium to ensure fans’ safe travel home. We’re going out for a quick walk around the block to just shake off glued-to-chair syndrome before nightfall.

3:41 PM UPDATE: Not sure whether technically that’s freezing rain or sleet falling right now, but it’s little tiny ice crystals. Also, we finally get the “creme brulee” description that’s been going around to describe what happened earlier today – if you go out and walk through unshoveled snow, you will come to a layer of ice, 1/4″ to 1/8″ thick, which you can lift out in sharp-edged sheets:

Also, this advisory just in from SDOT:

With yet another wave of snow arriving, the Seattle
Department of Transportation (SDOT) continues to aggressively plow,
de-ice and sand across the city. With additional inches of snow hitting
roadways, the department continues to advise that motorists use caution
and not drive if it can be avoided. If motorists must drive, they are
advised to reduce their speeds, transition carefully from side streets
to arterials and give snowplows ample room to operate.

The department’s focus remains principal arterials, bridges and other
elevated road structures, streets near hospitals, and bus routes. A
particular emphasis has been placed on outbound travel routes from Qwest
Field. SDOT currently has its entire winter response fleet of 27 trucks
plowing, sanding and de-icing city streets. Four of those trucks are
devoted solely to the West Seattle Bridge and the Alaskan Way Viaduct.
Due to icy conditions, the South Lake Union line of the Seattle
Streetcar is no longer in operation.

Also an update from Sea-Tac Airport:

Alaska and Horizon have suspended service due to severe winter weather and deteriorating conditions. Airport is open and other carriers are continuing operations. There is sufficient deicing fluid for the airfield through Monday and SeaTac is sharing with surrounding airports. Aircraft deicing supply trucks are stuck on the east side of the pass. There are a significant number of passengers stranded in the airport. Alaska has instructed all passengers who live in the area to go home and rebook their flights online or by phone.

Sharonn Meeks sent a pic with word that The Mount has had enough snow-clearing to access relatively safely:

Update from the city Parks Department:

Seattle Parks and Recreation’s School Age Care Winter Break Camps at all community
centers will be closed on Monday, Dec. 22, due to weather conditions. A child care hotline is available for additional updates on Winter Break Camp operation. Call 206-684-7123 for Hotline Updates.

Early morning lap swims for Monday, Dec. 22, are closed at Medgar Evers Pool and Southwest Pool, but these facilities will open at their standard operating time. All other pools that normally have early morning lap swims, including Ballard, Evans, Queen Anne and Meadowbrook will be open for this use. Madison and Rainier Beach pools will have normal operating hours.

All other Seattle Parks and Recreation facilities will have normal operating hours on Monday. These include community centers, pools, environmental learning centers, Amy Yee Tennis Center and Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center. Regularly scheduled programming has been canceled, but drop-in use of these facilities is available.

Public golf courses, including Jackson Park, Interbay, West Seattle and Jefferson Park are closed for golf, but are open for sledding.

New forecast posted within the hour – includes the previously mentioned “up to 6″ new” through tonight, then snow showers in almost every daypart through Tuesday night, when “snow likely” is the phrase. Read it here.
In comments, update from Jessie at Skylark, where usually there’s all-ages live music on Sunday nights (and live music SIX nights a week):

Two out of three bands have understandably cancelled tonight, but we are still planning on staying open. If you have cabin fever in the Delridge neighborhood feel free to stop by for hot food and/or warming beverages. We close at 11pm on Sundays and are all ages/full bar with ID. Everyone’s disappointed we didn’t get the expected “slightly warmer weather and rain” reprieve…but bands are all rescheduling for early ‘09 so it’s not so bad.

Just created a separate post for a harbor seal photographed at Lincoln Park. Thanks for all the photos — keep ’em coming, we’re still catching up. Snowing heavily again where we are, by the way. TV reporter at Sea-Tac says Alaska may not get more de-icer till tomorrow (as posted above, they’ve suspended all flights anyway).

4:14 PM UPDATE: Metro’s Linda Thielke is doing a phone interview on TV noting this is the TENTH day of snow operations. We are making a separate post with quick links and other info (closures/changes) that you might want to refer to frequently without scrolling back thru the WSB running coverage – let us know – editor@westseattleblog.com – if there’s anything in particular you’d like to see in such a list. One of them, of course, will be the Metro reroute/canceled/suspended list. Meantime – levity of course is a saving grace (or however that saying goes) – Bridgette posted on Facebook, “Now announcing the opening of the West Seattle ski area … lifts under construction.” Jim and Laurie sent this next photo with the subject line “Pigeon Point Hummer!” and we thought perhaps it would be a big ol’ vehicle munching up a hill – but no – it’s those little guys we’ve been discussing:

4:25 PM UPDATE: Here’s the latest from Metro regarding tomorrow morning:

King County Metro Transit will be operating approximately half of its regular service Monday morning, Dec. 22, because of ongoing difficult travel conditions due to heavy snowfall over the weekend. Also, roads throughout King County are expected to be dangerously icy Monday morning.

Please check the Metro Online website before you leave home to see if your bus route is operating and if it is on snow routing.

As it enters its 10th day of snow operations, Metro plans to operate with a level of service similar to last Friday. On Monday morning, about half of Metro’s and Sound Transit’s bus service in King County will be temporarily suspended due to weather and road conditions. If the roads clear during the day, Metro plans to add more service on the routes in operation.

Metro’s operations have been impacted by the weather throughout King County, but the hilly streets and amount of snowfall inside the city of Seattle have made travel in the city unusually difficult. Also, in many areas travel lanes have been restricted, which is slowing down both buses and general-purpose traffic.

Bus passengers should be aware that travel conditions can change quickly, and this list of disrupted service may be revised at any time due to weather and road conditions. In some locations, where roads are impassable for large buses, Metro will be operating chained shuttles.

In order to safely transport as many passengers as possible, Metro is focusing on providing bus service on cleared highways and arterial roads, and to major transit centers and park-and-ride lots.

Passengers should be prepared to board buses at major transit centers, flat arterials, or at the top or bottom of hills. Please dress warmly, wear appropriate footwear, and be prepared to wait. The buses that are running are expected to be significantly delayed.

This transit plan will continue until weather and road conditions improve, which means almost all bus service will be significantly limited. Metro appreciates everyone’s patience, and reminds customers that safety for passengers and bus drivers is the agency’s No. 1 concern.

Information about bus status is available on Metro’s Ice & Snow page, but conditions are changing rapidly. You can also call the Metro Customer Information Office at (206) 553-3000, but call volumes are high and there may be a wait to talk to a CIO representative. People should closely monitor the latest weather and traffic reports for information about travel conditions.

4:31 PM UPDATE: In comments, Ellen mentioned a festive atmosphere in The Junction. Here’s pictorial proof:

However, she reports, nobody was going to let Santa cut in line for coffee at Cupcake Royale (where Santa photos are over for the day now – thanks to everybody who made it down to The Junction!):

Speaking of Christmas fun, Kate e-mails about walking from High Point to the Admiral District for the free show this morning of “A Christmas Story.” She says “lots of people were out to laugh at Ralphie” and she also sent back sights along the way, including this “snow dragon”:

4:49 PM UPDATE: A reminder from Angelina:

Can you please remind people that it is illegal to go snowmobiling and four-by-ing in parks? We have had people driving through High Point Park and it tears up the ground underneath… Not to mention it is a safety hazard.

5:27 PM UPDATE: Started a separate post to be a standing list of hopefully helpful links. Bernie pointed out that Amtrak isn’t getting much mention but it’s had trouble too – this alert notes its Northwest service was completely canceled today. If you have a suggestion for additional helpful links, we’ll continue to build that list through the night, so please leave a comment.

5:41 PM UPDATE: From Jenny on Genesee Hill – another example of that ice layer we mentioned earlier (the “creme brulee” effect as some have described it):

From Jim and Sharon:

Found Dec. 20 on Pigeon Point: 1 pair cross country skis boots and poles. 935-1532

The WSB Forums are usually a good place for lost/found (and we post lost/found dogs/cats/etc. on our Pets page – e-mail us any time), BUT in these circumstances the front page is where many people are hanging out so we’re noting it here.

5:54 PM UPDATE: From Amy at Delridge/Thistle, a couple photos – starting with this one looking north on Thistle at dusk:

And the Longfellow Creek/Thistle Greenspace P-patch, a view we haven’t seen so far:

Via Twitter, County Executive Ron Sims sends word that Cliff Mass filed a 5 pm weather update. Cliff says this band of snow will move through by mid-evening and that there shouldn’t be anything much behind it, for now. Want to be amused? Check out how excited we got over a bit of a flurry last Christmas.

6:41 PM UPDATE: Will be switching over to an evening post soon. From Twitter, word that Beveridge Place Pub in Morgan Junction “is packed.”

This is important: There is word of some power outages here and there – not in Seattle so far – because of heavy snow taking out branches and then lines. So be sure you know where your outage-related items are. So far, we have heard (not confirmed via official sources) about some trouble in Olympia, north Vashon (via comments), and the Eastside.

Via Twitter, word that the National Weather Service noted record daily snowfall at Sea-Tac today – 3 inches, the most ever on December 21, breaking 2.6 inches on 12/21/67.

7:01 PM: Before we close this post down – one more cute kid pic – The Andersens in Arbor Heights, in fact, e-mailed this with the explanation that it’s one of their “cute kids eating snow.”

The Sunday evening post has now begun – please join us there!