SDOT, King County preparing for icy winter weather

As excitement over lowland snow in the Puget Sound region grows, Seattle is planning how it will tackle such treacherous winter weather.

Is snow in Seattle’s forecast?

The Seattle Department of Transportation released its 2016-17 snow/ice service map recently. The map shows what roads will get attention in the event of snow accumulation and/or ice.

The question on everyone’s mind is: when will we see snow in the lowlands?

The National Weather Service says the potential for snow anytime soon is relatively low — but it is not being ruled out.

“Several ingredients need to be exactly in the right place at the right time for this to occur,” the Weather Service reports.

The potential for snow in Seattle Monday and Tuesday of next week, but that is “far from certain.”

“This week will bring more information as the time gets closer and details in the models become more reliable,” the Weather Service reports. “With it being a week out at this time, the forecast details from the models are not overly reliable in this circumstance.”

A snowy winter has been in the forecast for some time now. Meteorologists have been calling for an increased chance of a colder, wetter winter due to La Nina. The weather we have experienced this month — including the unseasonably warm temperatures — is similar to that of weather that preceded other historic snow storms, including that of the 2008 storm that put Seattle into weeks of freezing temperatures over the holidays.

It was during that storm that Mayor Greg Nickels received criticism for the lack of preparedness.

Since then, the city has increased its snow plows and switched from using sand to salt on roadways.

King County cuts snow routes ahead of winter weather

Meanwhile, King County reports it now has fewer snow routes due to “decades of annexations, declines in gas tax revenues, and the effects of voter initiatives.”

Those factors have “led to the chronic underfunding of the local bridge and road system,” according to information from the county.

Key routes will be plowed this season, but fewer secondary routes will get attention. The county used to plow about 30 percent of its managed roads. That will be down to 15 percent this year.

A map of the the county's priority snow routes can be found here.

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