A snowstorm, causing near white-out conditions in Bellevue Thursday, hammered the area, closing schools, delaying trash and garbage collection and generally making a mess the week before Christmas.
City of Bellevue officials advised residents to stay off the roads Thursday as the storm brought 3 to 4 inches of snow throughout the city. Crews worked to clear emergency routes and primary arterials routes as the forecast called for a hard freeze to settle in and turn the snow to ice.
Traffic snarls were everywhere.
The storm caused numerous road closures in Bellevue.
As of 11:30 a.m. Thursday the following roads were closed to traffic:
* NE 8th in both directions between 120th/124th Avenues
* Se 32nd from 128th to Richards Road
* 128th Ave SE from SE 26th to SE 28th
* Eastgate Way at 139th Ave SE
Bellevue also closed its Community Centers, including the Bellevue Botanical Garden and Garden d’Lights, and canceled all recreational programs.
Bellevue opened an emergency overnight shelter at Crossroads Community Center, 16000 NE 10th St., from 9:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. While the Crossorads shelter didn’t open until 9:30 p.m., City Hall was open until 5 p.m., and the public was invited to go there to get warm.
The Crossroads shelter could accommodate 50 people and the plan was to have it in operation as needed, during periods of severe weather throughout the winter months. For more information about the city’s emergency shelter at Crossroads Community Center, call 452-452-4874.
In addition to the overnight shelter, community centers are open to provide warmth and shelter during daytime hours at the following locations:
North Bellevue Community Center, 4063 148th Ave. NE, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-10 p.m., and Saturday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
South Bellevue Community Center, 14509 SE Newport Way, Monday-Thursday, 6 a.m.-9 p.m.; Friday, 6 a.m.-8 p.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Crossroads Community Center, 16000 NE 10th St., Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. -8 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Highland Community Center, 14224 NE Bel-Red Road, Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m.- 4 p.m.
Allied Waste canceled collecting recycling, garbage or yard waste delaying pickup until the following week.
Earlier in the week, Puget Sound Energy customers used a record amount of electricity and natural gas as cold sent shivers across the region.
Monday evening (Dec. 15) at 7 p.m., PSE set a new hourly electric system peak of 4,906 megawatts (MW). This breaks the historical peak load of 4,847 MW, set Dec. 21, 1998.
Also on Monday, PSE set a record natural gas send-out of 755, 881 MMBtu (million British thermal units). This surpassed the historic record of 741,881 MMBtu set Nov. 28, 2006, and is well above the average daily December natural gas send-out of 500,000 MMBtu.
The utility said its power and natural gas supplies are adequate to meet customers’ needs in its 11-county service area.
Bellevue schools closed Wednesday in anticipation of snow that didn’t come. But there wasn’t any question Thursday as the city was blanketed.
Cold is expected to continue this weekend with a high of 29 today and 17 tonight. Sunday’s high was predicted to be 35 with the overnight low at 26. The weather was expected to warm slightly at the start of next week and into the Christmas holiday.
The King County Office of Emergency Management offered the following tips for surviving the winter storm.
1. When the snow begins to fall, road conditions can deteriorate very quickly. Drive only if necessary and limit travel to daylight hours if at all possible. Keep others informed of your schedule and route, and stay on main roads.
2. If you ride the bus, check your timetable for snow routes and wait at the top or bottom of hills. Remember, buses will be more crowded than usual and not always on schedule. Tips on using Metro Transit in adverse weather: http://metro.kingcounty.gov/tops/bus/snow.html
3. Protect your pets by keeping them warm, dry and sheltered with access to non-frozen water.
4. Be aware that power failures and other service disruptions may occur. Keep a battery operated radio, flashlights and extra batteries on hand.
5. Listen to local radio and television stations for information on school closures, schedule changes and other weather related updates.
6. Only call 9-1-1 if you need immediate emergency assistance from police, fire or emergency medical personnel. For all other non-urgent situations that require assistance call your local police or fire department.
