LiveWashington winter weather updates, December 30: More snow, cold temperatures headed to Seattle area

Don’t let a snow-covered sidewalk turn into a slick mess. Shoveling snow is pretty strenuous exercise, not unlike running. 

Here are some tips to help you stay safe while shoveling.

The city of Seattle has plows major streets and bus routes, but what about those slippery sidewalks?

Under city law, the onus is on the adjacent property owners and occupants to keep them clear.

The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) says it’s responsible for only part of the 2,300 miles of sidewalks and paved paths.

Read the full story here.

The portion of Interstate 90 between North Bend and Ellensburg was set to reopen around 6:44 p.m. after the area was closed off around 3:30 p.m. due to a collision between a vehicle and tanker truck containing sulphuric acid, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation.

No injuries were reported and Washington State Patrol Trooper John Bryant said on Twitter that the sulfuric acid did not leak. The vehicle missed the drain valve by half an inch, according to WSDOT.

Officials also announced at 6:46 p.m. that Interstate 90 eastbound near North Bend would be closed due to spinouts caused by ice on the road. There was no estimated time for reopening.

As the winter chill sets in, it’s time to think about protecting your home from the elements. For prudent homeowners, this entails taking steps to prevent pipes from freezing and bursting during the cold-weather months.

A single pipe burst can cost $1,000 to $4,000 in water damage cleanup and repair fees, according to HomeAdvisor. Though water damage from a burst pipe inside your home is typically covered by a standard homeowners insurance policy, dealing with the cleanup and filing a claim can be a hassle.

The main reason pipes burst? “It’s almost always temperature-related,” says Michael Mccan, plumbing manager at Michael & Son Services in Alexandria, Virginia. “Any water line that goes below 32 degrees can freeze.” When the water inside a pipe freezes, the ice causes an increase in pressure; when the pressure gets too high, it ruptures.

Read the full story here.

Even if your car’s window is frozen and the engine needs a warm-up, don’t do what thousands of drivers across the nation do as a matter of course on cold winter mornings: Turn on the car and leave it running in the driveway with the tailpipes puffing telltale clouds of exhaust into the frosty air.

First of all, it’s against the law in Washington and Oregon to leave a car running while unattended.

Second, “it’s a visual invitation for car thieves to jump in and drive away,” Seattle-based PEMCO Insurance company said in a list of winter tips. This time of year, the company said they see a spike in “puffer thefts.”

Here are some tips for dealing with a few of the most common cold-weather car problems.

Winter weather is here, and Washington’s mountain passes have started seeing intermittent closures due to spinouts.

The Washington State Department of Transportation is urging drivers to learn how to install tire chains before hitting the road. Tire chains may be required on passes when ice, slush or compacted snow impacts road conditions.

Ignoring chain requirements can result in a $500 fine, according to WSDOT.

Here are instructions on how to put on tire chains, and how to know if you need them.

A key part of emergency-preparedness is being aware of emergencies and natural disasters happening near you.

Be in the know and stay informed as situations unfold by signing up for various real-time alerts that can help you take potentially life-saving actions.

Here are several ways to get emergency alerts from federal, state and local authorities, including ones you may want to ensure are enabled on your devices.

The Washington State Department of Transportation announced around 3:30 p.m. that Interstate 90 between North Bend and Ellensburg has closed for a second time on Thursday. The closure is "due to a collision involving hazardous material" and there is no estimated reopening time.

According to WSDOT, an SUV crashed into a tanker carrying sulfuric acid near Cle Elum. The Department of Ecology is on its way and crews are working to separate the car from the truck.

According to Washington State Patrol, there were no injuries and sulfuric acid is not leaking though a fire chief and the Department of Ecology has put a cautionary isolation distance in place.

An SUV crashed into a tanker carrying sulfuric acid on I-90 near Cle Elum. Department of Ecology is en route as crews work to separate the car from the truck. The pass remains closed in both directions from North Bend to Eburg until further notice.

Snoqualmie Pass was closed early Thursday morning due to poor visibility and road conditions but reopened around 1 p.m.

The sloped design of Seattle's new Rainier Square tower, between Fourth and Fifth avenues downtown, is creating some potentially hazardous conditions. A video taken by James Mitchell shows chunks of snow and ice coming loose.

With ice on the way, the Seattle Department of Transportations is reminding people that "a little shoveling goes a long way in helping making sidewalks and pathways accessible."

There are more than 2,400 miles of sidewalks in Seattle, according to SDOT. "Our crews can’t be at every location all at once, so it is everyone’s responsibility to do their part. Please help by shoveling the sidewalks around your home or business – it isn’t just the law, it’s the right thing to do," SDOT said on its blog.

I-90 has reopened in both directions after winter weather conditions closed around 80 miles of the highway.

Another round of snow and continued pandemic-induced staffing problems brought another day of misery for travelers waiting to fly into or out of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

As of 10 a.m. Thursday, airlines had canceled 289 arrivals and departures at Sea-Tac Airport — more than a quarter of all of Thursday’s scheduled flights, and the highest number of any airport in the United States — according to the website FlightAware.com.

The cancellations, which scrapped 148 departures and 141 arrivals, bring Sea-Tac’s cancellation total to more than 1,450 since Sunday, when heavy snow on top of ongoing staffing issues began snarling domestic air travel, according to the flight tracking site.

Thursday’s cancellations brought more frustration for many travelers who had already been hit by cancellations that were starting to surge even before Christmas.

Read the full story here.

Airlines have been preparing for the holiday season for months, reviewing plans and readying reserves of workers. But that was not enough to mitigate the effects of the fast-spreading omicron coronavirus and of heavy snow and strong winds in the West.

The impact continued to be felt Thursday, with more than 1,000 cancellations of flights to, from or within the United States by midmorning, according to the air travel data site FlightAware. By Thursday morning, the site was also showing more than 500 cancellations for Friday.

Read the full story here.

WSDOT posted a Twitter thread Thursday morning to set expectations for road conditions. "Crews have continued to be out 24/7 plowing & treating state highways. But with snow still falling, there WILL be snow/ice on road," WSDOT said.

The goal is to make at least some lanes passable on as many state routes as possible, the department said.

WSDOT said expecting "clear sailing" today is unrealistic, reminding people to drive slowly and give road crews plenty of room.

All Seattle Public Library locations are closed Thursday, "due to inclement weather and effects on staffing," the Library has announced.

The Library is posting updates this week at spl.org/snow.

I-90 remains closed due to unstable weather conditions, and is estimated to reopen in both directions at 1:00 p.m., WSDOT said. The highway closed at 4:30 a.m., and was initially predicted to reopen at 11:00 a.m.

Libraries will not open Thursday, King County Library System said shortly after nine, updating an original announcement that libraries would open late, or not at all, depending on weather conditions.

Several King County COVID-19 testing sites will be closed Thursday because of snow and icy conditions, which have shuttered facilities and prompted cancellations all week.

On Thursday morning, Public Health — Seattle & King County confirmed testing sites in Bellevue, Renton, Tukwila, Federal Way, Kent/Des Moines and Sammamish would be closed for the day. Seattle sites in Ballard and Rainier Beach are also closed Thursday.

Some King County sites will be open by appointment only, including those in Auburn, Enumclaw and SeaTac/Angle Lake, as well as UW-run sites on Aurora Avenue, and in West Seattle, Sodo and the University District in Seattle.

Testing locations in Richland, Shoreline and Sunnyside will be open by appointment only or operate under reduced hours.

More information about UW testing locations is available here, and more information about county-run sites is available here.

One transportation route benefitted from this week's snow — Tukwila's 42nd Avenue South bridge over the Duwamish River, where a repair team has straightened three beams that were damaged by an oversize truck cargo on Dec. 15.

The Flame On company, based in Monroe, combines welding torches with chains and braces, to realign misshapen steel. When the heat is applied accurately, the beam will expand, then contract quickly into the proper shape.

This heat-straightening method doesn't work in heavy rain, said company President Tyler Thomas, because a deluge cools the steel too fast and can disrupt a beam's chemical properties.

The Northwest's subfreezing temperatures created a perfect situation of clear skies and clouds or light snow during daylight working hours.

"We got more good weather windows than we thought we would," Thomas said, after Flame On completed repairs and repainting Tuesday.

Engineers must perform follow-up inspections and a rigorous load-rating test that may include both heavy trucks and mathematic calculations. But the city is ahead of its four- to six-week closure estimate, which allowed time for rain delays.

Meanwhile, trucks have been using a steep, hazardous trestle bridge from Skyway, or cutting through residential back streets.

The bridge itself, which served 3,000 trucks and 7,000 cars daily, will bring back a longtime neighborhood problem when it reopens. The approach roads channel traffic past houses and a ball field. Some people in the Allentown area are enjoying the calm during the closure.

Below, the 72-year-old span is structurally deficient, vibrating with each heavy vehicle even before the mishap. Design is underway for a replacement bridge.

The Summit at Snoqualmie will remain closed Thursday, according to an online alert. "With WSDOT estimating an 11am opening of I-90 and uncertainty of when reliable power will be restored to the area, we will remain closed for the day," the alert said. Updates will be posted at summitatsnoqualmie.com.

King County Metro will continue to operate the Emergency Snow Network on Thursday due to ongoing freezing temperatures and difficult road conditions.

The agency will still service about 60 core bus routes and shuttles that the City of Seattle and other jurisdictions prioritize for snow and ice removal, according to a King County Metro online alert.

Details about routes in operation are available at the Emergency Snow Network webpage.

The National Weather Service forecasts freezing temperatures and snow to continue in the Puget Sound region over the next several days. King County Metro warned that passengers should prepare for travel disruptions and avoid traveling if possible.

Libraries may have limited hours due to weather conditions, King County Library System said. Some libraries may be closed. Updates will be posted on individual library location pages.

I-90 has been closed from North Bend to Ellensburg since 4:30 a.m. WSDOT estimates lanes will reopen at 11 a.m.

With freezing temperatures continuing, officials are urging residents of the Seattle area to stay inside and off the roads if possible.

If you need to venture out, you’re likely wondering whether the streets in your neighborhood have been plowed.

The city has an online map that shows which streets are closed, which have been serviced and which are due to be serviced. The map is updated regularly.

Read the full story here.

It’s snowing! But you know that, of course.

By the time snow stops falling — sometime between late morning and early afternoon Thursday — an additional 1 to 3 inches of snow will have blanketed much of Western Washington.

Here's when a warmup is expected.

In recent days, the region has seen record-breaking cold temperatures, and there’s more snow in the forecast for later this week, creating extremely dangerous conditions for people trying to survive outside.

View our maps of winter weather shelters and warming centers open in Seattle, Snohomish County.

WSDOT is reminding travelers to be prepared for changing road conditions. Major interstates are doing fairly well, WSDOT said on Twitter, especially in metro areas. But with snow still falling, plow drivers will have a hard time keeping up, the department said.

I-90/Snoqualmie Pass is closed in both directions from North Bend to Ellensburg due to near zero visibility, WSDOT said on Twitter. The highway will be evaluated during daylight hours.