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UPDATE, 4 p.m. | The rollercoaster winter storm made another turn Thursday, as a day of freezing rain and sleet turned into another batch of snowfall.
Bellevue, like many cities throughout the area, has been receiving snow, sleet and freezing rain all day. Falling trees and branches have led to outages at 1,095 homes as of 4 p.m. Thursday.
Throughout the state, as many as 200,000 Puget Sound Energy customers have lost power. The utility said people will have to wait as many as three to four days for it to get restored.
The National Weather Service extended issued a winter storm warning for the Seattle area until 4 a.m. Friday. In addition, warmer temperatures and rain are expected to follow, leading to a flood warning through Saturday.
The weather system has baffled meteorologists from the start. A prediction of more than a foot of snow Wednesday did not come to full fruition. But, freezing rain took over, creating a sheet of ice over the several inches of snow in Bellevue. Another flurry of snow dropped more than an inch in most areas.
The underlying layer of ice has caused an even more dangerous driving surface than previous days. Officials urged travelers to get inside before dark, when temperatures drop, and more freezing takes place.
Original story is below
As the snow stopped coming down late Wednesday, a new foe emerged: freezing rain.
For much of Wednesday evening into Thursday morning freezing raining coated the multiple inches of snow in a sheet of ice. These conditions are expected to further complicate an already dangerous commute.
The National Weather Service in Seattle issued a Winter Weather Warning for an Ice Storm with freezing rains. The warning is in effect until noon Thursday. No further snow accumulations are forecast for Bellevue Thursday. However the City can expect to receive accumulations of up to one-half inch of freezing rain that could make driving conditions extremely difficult and lead to power outages. Afternoon temperatures are forecast to be in the mid 30s. A light freeze (30-31 degrees) was forecast for Thursday night, followed by warming early Friday morning. Forecasts predicted rain showers Friday with high temperature into the 40s.
Bellevue officials said main streets and some neighborhood routes remain passable, but drivers are urged to stay off the roads if possible. Before driving, residents are urged to check the city’s priority response map.
Weather and road conditions permitting, the City is anticipating expanding operations into the elevated neighborhoods and neighborhoods with the steepest streets Thursday afternoon or evening.
Nicole Cuervo, a resident of Bellevue’s Summit neighborhood, got more than five inches of snow before plows were able to get to the high-elevation area. Plows came in Thursday morning, Cuervo said, but after extensive snowfall and dangerous freezing rain, the roads nearby remain a mess.
“Yesterday the streets were not plowed, and today they are, but it’s just a blanket of ice over the 8 inches of snow right now. It’s crazy,” Cuervo said.
Because of falling trees due to the weight of the ice, more than 1,000 Puget Sound Energy customers in Bellevue are without power.
PSE reports that more than 100,000 homes throughout Western Washington remain without power as of Thursday morning. Customers in King, Pierce and Thurston counties may have to wait until Friday or Saturday for service to be restored.
State highways have been under assault from falling trees all day, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation. Crashes are piling up as well as the icy conditions continue to hamper drivers.
For more information, or to report hazardous roads, water main breaks or flooding, call Bellevue utilities at (425) 452-7840.
Snow falls on 118th Avenue Southeast in Bellevue. Forecasts calling for rain never came in this neighborhood, but freezing rain left a quarter inch of ice atop tree branches. CELESTE GRACEY, Reporter Newspapers
A trucker puts on chains to navigate Main Street near 112th Avenue Northeast in Bellevue. CHAD COLEMAN, Bellevue Reporter
The view from Bellevue’s Summit neighborhood. COURTESY PHOTO, Nicole Cuervo
