Seattle (January 13, 2020) – Following limited overnight snowfall, the City of Seattle is closely monitoring impacts to services. Seattle saw snow showers over the night, with some accumulations of one to two inches on the ground.
Temperatures are expected to remain below freezing for the next several days with overnight temperatures in the low 20s. The City is tracking another storm that may bring additional snowfall later this week.
The following are updates from City departments:
Seattle Department of Transportation – The majority of winter weather response routes and arterials are bare and wet and no streets are officially closed. SDOT has been pre-treating streets with salt since noon on Sunday. Some plowing was needed on north end arterials to move slush from travel lanes to the curb. SDOT is focused on school and hospital access streets and transit routes.
Crews continue to be on 24/7 staffing and are focusing now on treating any snowy streets in the north end with accumulations. Crews will be patrolling the city today and responding to service requests and treating streets again if needed.
For information on road closures, plowed roads, and planned snow response routes, please visit the Seattle Department of Transportation’s (SDOT) live Storm Response Map.
The City is asking community members to keep sidewalks and curb ramps clear, don’t drive if you don’t have to, comply with any street closed signs.
Human Services Department – In addition to ongoing shelter capacity, the City, with our partners, has opened several emergency overnight shelters with capacity for 571 individuals. Last night, there were 86 individuals at Seattle Center, 171 people staying overnight at City Hall, and 18 at the King County Administration Building. Additional capacity remains at Seattle Center and the King County Administrative Building, and no one will be turned away from emergency shelter.
Warming centers are available all day at Seattle Center Armory and Bertha Knight Landes at City Hall was an early morning warming shelter. Over the weekend, the Navigation Team and the City’s outreach workers continued extensive outreach to unsheltered neighbors. The Navigation Team has large-scale transportation at the ready to transport individuals to shelter.
Parks and HSD continue to monitor weather conditions and shelter capacity. Parks and HSD will open the Seattle Municipal Tower and one or both the community centers if additional snow accumulation and the emergency weather shelters reach capacity.
Families in need of shelter can contact Mary’s Place 24 hour Community Emergency Family Shelter Intake Line at 206-245-1026. No families will be turned away, and transportation is available for those who need it.
Seattle Center – Seattle Center Armory will maintain regular hours today, 7 a.m. – 9 p.m., and serve as a warming center throughout the day. Seattle Center Monorail will operate from 7:30 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Customer Service Centers – All Customer Service Centers, including the one at City Hall and the Animal Shelter, will open on time today.
Seattle Public Utilities – Solid waste collection operations are expected to be normal today citywide. Ice and snow in some neighborhoods could have isolated impacts, but they are expected to be minimal.
Seattle Public Schools – Seattle Public Schools will start two hours late today to allow time for road conditions to improve. The Seattle Department of Transportation is in contact with SPS.
Seattle City Light – Seattle City Light saw no significant power outages over the weekend. SCL is prepared with necessary equipment, supplies, chains for trucks, etc., to respond to any outage. Should there be widespread outages, SCL has crews on standby ready to respond and work 24/7 until every single customer is back on.
Tips for staying safe in case of an outage:
- Be prepared for potential power outages with blankets, flashlights and batteries. And don’t forget to charge your devices so you can call if you need assistance, can keep an eye on the status with our online outage map (www.seattle.gov/light/outage) or pass the time.
- If you see a downed power line, stay at least 35 feet away and call 9-1-1.
- Avoid the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning by never bringing generators, camp stoves or barbeques indoors.
Seattle Parks and Recreation – All parks are open. Community centers and pools are expected to be open today but some may be delayed on a case-by-case basis. Please check online for details about specific sites and programs. Early morning programs and early morning swim is cancelled.
Seattle Preschool Program – Parents are encouraged to follow their preschool provider’s inclement weather policy. SPS-operated full day preschool, SPP, and Head Start have a two-hour delay and transportation will be operating on snow routes.
The Seattle Public Library – No impacts to service.
Seattle City Council – The Seattle City Council will hold its regularly scheduled meetings today on time, beginning with Council Briefings at 9:30 a.m. and Full Council at 2 p.m.
Seattle Fire Department – The Seattle Fire Department has the following updates:
- The City had no significant overnight fires. Remember to heat your home safely by keeping flammable items at least one foot from baseboard heaters, and three feet from portable heaters and fireplaces. More tips on Fireline.
- Sidewalks may look clear, but could be icy. Make sure to wear shoes with good tread, reflective gear at night, and keep hands free from pockets in case you need to break a fall. Check on your neighbors and keep sidewalks clear.
- SFD’s Health One Unit will be utilized to help transport unsheltered individuals to severe weather shelters. The unit is operating Monday through Thursday in the downtown core and Capitol Hill neighborhoods.
Seattle Municipal Courts – Seattle Municipal Court will have a delayed opening today, Monday January 13, and will open to the public at 10 a.m. The in-custody calendar at the King County Jail will begin as soon as there is adequate staffing, and likely start before 10 a.m. The public can find the latest information on the Seattle Municipal Court website or by calling 206-684-5600.