Press release:
Ice and snow continue to make roads slick. Residents are encouraged to make their way home before dark if possible. The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory calling for an ongoing mix of more sleet, freezing rain and snow until 4 a.m. Winter weather may impact the morning commute.
 
The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) had 33 snow response vehicles out this afternoon. The full fleet will continue to plow and treat major arterial roads with salt brine and granular salt overnight. In addition, the City contracted three grading trucks – one of the most effective tools for scraping ice from roadways. The city has 24,000 gallons of salt brine and 1,400 tons of salt in its stockpiles.
 
SDOT also dispatched 22 crews today to clear and salt pedestrian crossings and intersections. Pedestrians should exercise caution – many sidewalks are icy, and there is danger of falling ice from trees, buildings and power lines.
 
Seattle City Light today dispatched 25 crews to respond to a variety of outages affecting 6,500 customers, mostly in the utility’s service area south of Seattle. As of 4 p.m., 2,200 customers remained without power. Service is expected to be restored by midnight.
 
If you experience a power outage, call City Light’s Outage Hotline at (206) 684-7400. If you see a downed power line, call 911 to report it. City Light’s power outage map is available at: http://seattle.gov/light/sysstat/.
 
With the forecast for snow turning to rain Friday, stormwater runoff will challenge Seattle’s drainage system. Seattle Public Utilities is asking residents and businesses to locate the storm drains in the street and clear them of snow, leaves, and debris to help prevent localized flooding. Clearing storm drains is the single most important thing that residents and businesses can do to protect their property and prevent ponding in streets that poses traffic hazards.
 
If an inlet or street drain appears to be blocked by snow or debris, try to safely clear a channel to provide a path for the runoff. If the drain cannot be cleared, or if the cause of the blockage or flooding is uncertain, call SPU at (206) 386-1800.
 
SDOT’s Winter Weather page at http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/winterweather.htm includes maps of the City’s snow routes and real-time information on road conditions. If you must travel, do your best to use transit.
 
For more information about weather safety tips, and to find out about city facility closures, please go to www.seattle.gov.