Oh, snow!
We came together as a city to make it through the first blitz of the Seattle Freeze, but it looks like another severe snowstorm is on the horizon.
The National Weather Service is predicting another blast of cold snow will hit the Seattle area starting Friday afternoon. This storm could be even worse than the last one, with up to 12 inches of snow and 45 mph winds.
It is absolutely critical that we all work together to prepare before the storm hits.
Brace yourself: another storm is coming.
Today will be your best chance to get ready before the storm arrives tomorrow.
Snow could start to fall mid-day on Friday and is expected to increase in intensity over the weekend. We’re preparing for up to 12 inches of snow and possible 45 mph winds. There could be even more snow storms occurring over the next 10 days.
If you don’t have to drive – don’t.
If you can possibly avoid it, do not drive tomorrow. We expect snow to start falling mid-day on Friday, so if you drive to work home, you may not be able to get home. If you abandon your car on a major road, it will be towed.
In case you do need to drive:
- Make sure your car or truck can manage variable road conditions – think all-wheel drive, 4-wheel drive, a full tank of gas, and put chains on your tires.
- If you’re on the road, slow down and give other vehicles plenty of space to stop. Remember that bridges and raised roadways are likely to be icy, even when the roads are not.
- Respect the STREET CLOSED signs. They’re there for a reason.
Here’s how to get ready.
If this little guy can do it, so can you!
Although most of us learned a few lessons from the snow that fell earlier this week, it doesn’t hurt to get a refresher on how to prepare for a snow event. Here are a few tips, but see the end of this post for more helpful details!
- ❄️It is your responsibility to treat the sidewalks in front of your home or business with salt or another environmentally friendly de-icing product. Do this today; because once ice forms tonight, it will be too late!
- ❄️When the snow starts to fall, shovel your walkways each day to prevent ice from forming overnight. Whatever you do, please be safe – it’s slippery out there.
- ❄️We’re all in this together. If your neighbor is out of town or unable to clear their sidewalk, please pitch in and help them out. If everyone does their part, sidewalks will be safe so people can reach the bus stop or store.
What is SDOT doing to get ready?
Well, we definitely won’t be “shredding pow” up in the mountains while all of this is going on. Instead, we’re going on high alert! When it snows and freezes, we commit to using all the tools possible to make sure the people have a safe way to get around.
Our strategy is to focus our resources on keeping the city’s most critical roadways safe to travel on. These streets were chosen because they are essential routes for hospitals, buses, and the most people traveling through our streets. View our Winter Weather Snow and Ice Route map here.
We work together with King County Metro to keep bus routes as clear of snow and ice as possible. The goal is to enable people to get around the city by bus, making it easier to leave your cars at home. Learn more on King County Metro’s Winter Weather
View our interactive Winter Weather Response Map here. This map shows the streets we’ve treated in the last 12 hours, and provides a live look at streets across the city using our traffic cameras so that you can see current road conditions and plan ahead.
More winter weather resources:
?Know your bus’s snow routes, using this helpful guide from King County Metro!- ?️Stay up-to-date with the weather on the local National Weather Service webpage, or follow them at @NWSSeattle
- ?Stock up now on essentials so that you do not need to leave your home during the storm.
- ?Use these links to stay informed about what’s happening with the weather.
- ✅Download our own Winter Storm Checklist and get ready for the storm!