More freezing temperatures overnight; plan for snowy commute Tuesday morning

Published 6:01 pm Monday, January 16, 2012

The proverbial calm before the storm will give drivers time to plan for a series of snowstorms expected to hit Puget Sound and the Cascades over the next 72 hours.

“The National Weather Service says it will be bad all over,” said Dave McCormick, regional maintenance manager for the Washington State Department of Transportation. “We are preparing for ‘bad all over’ and drivers should too.”

Frigid air and snow are expected to come out of the Frasier Valley and move from north to south. Snow is expected to begin at midnight in Whatcom County then head across the Cascades. The Seattle metro area will see snow during the morning commute with possible accumulations of 3-7 inches. The Cascades are expected to get 1 to 2 feet of snow.

Snow crews have already switched to round-the-clock shifts and will remain on these long shifts through at least Thursday. Plows are on the roads and crews are applying salt, sand, deicer, and anti-icer.

“We have different products for different snow conditions. We use them all,” said McCormick.

Avalanche crews plan to close US 2 at Stevens Pass intermittently at 3 a.m. for avalanche control work.

WSDOT also will:

• suspend travel-time information on the Web and on overhead signs. Travel times are not accurate during icy and snowy conditions.
• suspend all ramp metering because it is difficult for drivers to stop and start during a storm.
• have two incident response trucks roving the downtown Seattle/Bellevue core overnight tonight to help drivers and support Washington State Patrol troopers, and also will have additional trucks working Tuesday night.
• keep the I-5 and I-90 express lanes open overnight.
• post lower speeds on overhead speed signs based on weather conditions.
• record up-to-date pass information on road conditions approaching mountain passes on highway advisory radios.
• monitor traffic signal operations from the Shoreline traffic management center.
• work with WSP and transit operators to prioritize clearance of crashes and disabled buses.
• maintain activation of the Emergency Operations Center in Shoreline until the storms have passed.

“We need drivers’ help. The more prepared you are, the better it is for everyone,” said McCormick.