Record-breaking snowfall prompts road closures, is expected to continue into the week.
This February has already been Seattle’s snowiest since 1949, and meteorologists say it’s just getting started.
The most recent storm, which hit Friday night and continued into Saturday morning, blanketed the city with an astounding 7.9 inches of snow. Combined with Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday’s snowfall, the week’s total adds up to 10.6 inches, almost double the average 5.9 inches that Seattle receives each Winter.
According to a forecast from the National Weather Service, snow is expected to start falling again on Sunday afternoon as temperatures remain in the 20s. Several more inches are expected on Monday and Tuesday with a possibility of freezing rain. With temperatures unlikely to rise significantly until the end of the week, Seattleites should get familiar with how things will be running for the next few days.
Governor Jay Inslee has declared a state of emergency, warning residents about dangerous driving conditions statewide due to snow and ice, which are predicted to last through the next two weeks. Most major downtown arterials have been plowed, but many roads remain unserviced. Steep sections of Queen Anne Ave, Dravus St, Yesler Way, and several other roads around the city remain closed to cars. A full storm response map from SDOT that includes road closures and plowing status is available here.
King County Metro has activated its Emergency Snow Network, which cancels some bus routes and shifts others away from steep and likely unplowed roads onto plowed arterials. In addition, Metro has added Route 90, a special circulator shuttle that connects Capitol Hill, First Hill, the International District, and Downtown, accessible from Seattle Central College via Pine Street.
After remaining closed due to snowy and icy conditions for several days last week, school closures may continue into next week as snow continues to accumulate and sub-freezing conditions keep roads icy. To get live updates on closures at Seattle Central, you can sign up for live updates from the Seattle Colleges Alerts System here.
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