(Photo by David Hutchinson)

4:20 PM: The National Weather Service is out with an official alert for the next wave of snow. It’s a Winter Weather Advisory for 1 am to 7 pm Thursday. They’re anticipating 1″ to 4″ of snow. (For context, the official amount from last weekend was 3 1/2 inches.) The city-specific forecast narrows that down to 2″-3″, and offers the heartening news that the temperature should get back into the 40s by Saturday.

11:50 PM: The snow started shortly after 9 pm, and the NWS put the advisory into effect a few hours earlier than planned, shortly after 10 pm. We’ll be on morning snow watch by 5:30 am.

Another day with snow on the ground means another day of closures/schedule changes. Here’s what we have so far – we’ll keep adding as the info comes in:

CLOSED/CANCELED

Facilities/services:
Senior Center of West Seattle
Curative COVID test site at Don Armeni
West Seattle Food Bank
Seattle Public Library Delridge, West Seattle (Admiral), South Park branches
City residential solid-waste pickup (here’s the current plan for tomorrow & beyond)

Businesses
Alki Beach Pub (broken pipe)
Illusions Hair Design
Head To Toe Day Spa
Skylark
Cherry Consignment

OPEN BUT WITH CHANGES

Facilities/services:
West Seattle YMCA (9 am-4 pm)
Seattle Public Library Southwest (noon-6 pm) and High Point (1-6 pm) branches
West Seattle Golf Course (no golfing but “snow activities” and walking OK)
Other Seattle Parks changes

Businesses
Youngstown Coffee (10 am-2 pm)
HeartBeet Café (9 am-2 pm)
Chupacabra (noon-7:30 pm)

If you have info to add, westseattleblog@gmail.com or text 206-293-6302 – thank you!

1:17 PM: Thanks to everyone who’s been sending photos! The day was off to a spectacular start – sunrise glow on The Olympics. The photo above is from James Tilley; below, from Michael Burke:

This snowy Schmitz Park scene is from Theresa Arbow-O’Connor:

Joan Cooper photographed the shoreline snow at Alki/54th:

And via text, another snow creature on the Harbor Avenue shore:

ADDED 3:32 PM: Thanks to Genevieve Williams for this view of Westcrest Park:

ADDED 11:20 PM: From Brandi Bigford, geese on the Harbor Avenue shore:

Virgil‘s backyard, photographed by Al:

Cowboy the cat:

And Jemma, Megan‘s pup:

Got a West Seattle snow pic to share? westseattleblog@gmail.com or text 206-293-6302 … thank you!

1:50 PM: As the snow continues – with wind-chill temperatures in the teens – West Seattle’s only cold-weather shelter is open, at American Legion Post 160 (3618 SW Alaska). This is an all-volunteer effort, no city or other help, and more volunteers are needed – as mentioned here earlier this week. Post commander Keith Hughes, meantime, says if you or someone you know needs somewhere to go, “The warm-up center is open all day, and the Shelter will be open tonight. I have cots, mats, and blankets for up to 16 people.” Meantime, our coverage continues, first with the lists that started our earlier coverage:

ROAD/TRANSIT INFO
-City map of plowed routes, here
-City map of traffic cams, here
-Our page with West Seattle-relevant cams, here
-County map of traffic cams (choose “south” tab for White Center), here
–Metro buses are on snow routes – advisories here; Emergency Snow Network activated for Monday
–West Seattle Water Taxi CANCELED for the rest of today

SNOW CLOSURES/CANCELLATIONS
–West Seattle/Fauntleroy YMCA (closed Monday too)
-All Seattle Public Library branches
–Fauntleroy Church worship service (both online and in-person)
–City transfer stations (including the nearby one in west South Park)
–Junction & Morgan Junction Starbucks closed
-Also closed: Mission Cantina, The Bridge, The Birdhouse, The Westy, Southgate Roller Rink, Marination Ma Kai, West Seattle Bowl, Grillbird Teriyaki, Beveridge Place Pub, Greenbridge Café, Curious Kidstuff, Avalon Glassworks, Meeples Games, Best of Hands Barrelhouse, Lady Jaye, Northwest Art and Frame, Pegasus Books, Head to Toe Day Spa, Supreme, Ma’ono
-Closing early: Whole Foods (5 pm), Westwood QFC (7 pm), Metropolitan Market (8 pm)
-Closed Monday: Senior Center of West Seattle

WEATHER INFO
–Special Weather Statement alert now in effect
–National Weather Service‘s snow-totals map

Yards are buried – Scott and Maria sent this photo of theirs in Gatewood:

And down at sea level, Sirkka Saboe photographed the Alki Point Lighthouse:

Got a photo or something else to contribute to our coverage? westseattleblog@gmail.com or text 206-293-6302 – thank you! More updates ahead.

2:47 PM: Alki remains the epicenter of storm photos so far. This one’s from Andrew – look at what happened after all those wind-fueled waves crashed over the seawall:

Wherever you are in West Seattle, you’ve probably noticed the snow has all but stopped. The weather advisory has expired, too. Now the cold is the biggest concern – it’s not forecast to get back above freezing until Thursday.

3:19 PM: Thanks for the tips – added to our list above, some early-closure plans. … There’s some fun stuff out there too:

Brandon has done it again: “Softy the Sea Lion 3.0. This year, did it for our son. No tools or shovels. Encourage community to come build their favorite sea animal.” (From our archives, this story contains Softy 2.0!)

4:05 PM: The city has just sent out a long roundup from various departments. We’ll link it here once it’s on the city website; no major news in it that we’re seeing – for example, no word from SPU yet on whether Monday solid-waste pickup is still a go. Otherwise – SDOT says it has 35 “winter-response vehicles” out on the roads. One other note from SDOT – tomorrow (Monday 12/27) “will be treated as a holiday for on-street parking to discourage unnecessary driving during the storm response.” Pay-station on-street spaces will be free, and time limits won’t be enforced. … Also from the city news release, a passage of note:

The online Storm Response Map [linked above] shares real-time information on which roads have been recently plowed. The technology transferring information is not functioning on a few snow-response vehicles at this time and will not be repaired until the storm has passed, so more routes are being treated than shown.

5:04 PM: New weather alert is in effect – a Special Weather Statement about the subfreezing temps, calling the next few days “dangerously cold.” The snow, however, is largely over.

6:21 PM: A few more scenes from today – from Paula Grassell at Lincoln Park:

And from Yazmin Penzien, who says, “What a day! This was like a dream come true for our twin girls.”

6:49 PM: We’ve published this separately, but also noting here – the city has announced there’ll be no solid-waste pickup tomorrow – every pickup day this week will slide at least a day.

7:06 PM: Just in from Metro, they’ll activate the Emergency Snow Network service reduction for Monday. This takes effect at 4 am. Here’s what that means.

9:18 PM: Two more photos before the night’s out – more road-clearing equipment, spotted by Admiral 7-11 this evening:

(Major) new snow is NOT expected overnight, but the roads will be icy, so we’ll be on watch for that early, in case you have to commute. We also have one more fun photo here at night’s end – Eugene‘s son Silas, enjoying the snow:

The official total (measured at Sea-Tac) was just short of three and a half inches.

(Photo from Bea – Olson/Myers hill)

8:32 AM: The snow finally arrived early this morning around 6 am and is still falling. We have about 2″ here in Upper Fauntleroy. Some areas have more. Driving is dicey. Here are some updates to start our coverage.

SNOW CLOSURES/CANCELLATIONS
–West Seattle/Fauntleroy YMCA
-All Seattle Public Library branches
–Fauntleroy Church worship service (both online and in-person)
–City transfer stations (including the nearby one in west South Park)
–Junction & Morgan Junction Starbucks closed
-Also closed: Mission Cantina, The Bridge, The Birdhouse, The Westy, Southgate Roller Rink, Marination Ma Kai, West Seattle Bowl, Grillbird Teriyaki, Beveridge Place Pub, Greenbridge Café, Curious Kidstuff, Avalon Glassworks, Meeples Games, Best of Hands Barrelhouse, Lady Jaye, Northwest Art and Frame, Pegasus Books

TRANSPORTATION INFO
-City map of plowed routes, here
-City map of traffic cams, here
-Our page with West Seattle-relevant cams, here
-Metro buses are on snow routes – advisories here
-West Seattle Water Taxi (update) CANCELED for the rest of today

WEATHER INFO
–Winter Storm Warning alert in effect until 3 pm

More updates to come. Thanks for the info/photos already – westseattleblog@gmail.com or text 206-293-6302 – thank you!

9:04 AM: Photo from one area without traffic cams – Alki – thanks to @AlkiDude for tweeting this:

Several readers sent reminders – hummingbirds are out there in need of food! This photo is from Dina in Highland Park – she says they kept their feeder indoors overnight so it wouldn’t freeze:

9:40 AM: Snow’s intensified again – and remember that unlike many Seattle snowstorms, this won’t melt any time soon because temps are staying below freezing, day and night, for a few days. Tough going out there – Lora spotted this stuck bus at 42nd/Alaska:

Not far from there, Lora reports SW Oregon “is a sheet of ice.” Meantime, we’re updating the closure/cancellation list above but also hearing from some people who are still OPEN – like HeartBeet Café (until 2 pm) and Youngstown Coffee (10 am-2 pm) in Morgan Junction, Also, the COVID vaccination clinic at Neighborhood House High Point (until 1 pm) IS open (and taking walkups).

10:21 AM: Still snowing lightly. Temperature’s only 25. Here’s a texted photo from Lincoln Park Way, uphill from Lowman Beach:

10:44 AM: Metro just announced the West Seattle Water Taxi is canceled for the rest of today – updating in the transportation-info list above. This is blamed on high wind, not the snow – further west on Alki, note the wave spray in this (updated) video Jay sent from 62nd/Alki:

@WestSeaWX points out that the temperature with current wind-chill factor is 13 degrees.

11:29 AM: If you absolutely have to go out, here’s a sign you’re going to see a lot of:

The photo is from Gatewood, sent by Paul, who says, “The street closed sign at SW Othello and California is up. SW Othello from California to 39th Avenue is impassable and children are sledding on the road. Please find another route.”

11:44 AM: Update from comments – the Admiral Theater is back on for all shows today (so we’ve taken them off the cancellation list above). Also in the Admiral District, Freshy’s emailed to say they’re open, until 7 pm. … Checking both the cameras and city plowed-routes map (both linked above), looks like 35th SW has been recently plowed.

12:31 PM: Dixon Hamby sends updates from The Junction (and this Instagram video) – Junction Starbucks is closed and Easy Street Café is only doing takeout. (Checking online, we see Morgan Junction Starbucks closed early, and Admiral and Westwood are closing at 2 pm.) Adding other business closures to the list above.

1 PM: We’ll be starting a pm report shortly and will add the link here when ready.

1:40 PM: And here’s the link – pm coverage now under way there.

(Sunset with fkurries at Solstice Park, photographed by Michelle Green Arnson)

Thanks for the reports! Snow showers moved through the area this past hour, as Christmas Day made way for Christmas night – we received reports from all over the peninsula (and saw them ourselves from Upper Fauntleroy to White Center). Snowplow crews have been out on patrol – we saw this one by Roxbury Safeway (which attracted an audience, apparently for lunch crumbs):

The mid-afternoon forecast update is in – though the Winter Weather Advisory alert remains in effect until 4 pm tomorrow, the National Weather Service still isn’t forecasting anything major:

TONIGHT…Breezy. Rain and snow likely in the evening, then a chance of rain late in the evening. A chance of snow after midnight. Snow level near 200 feet. Snow accumulation around 1 inch. Lows in the mid to upper 20s. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph becoming north 15 to 25 mph with gusts to 35 mph after midnight.

SUNDAY…Windy. Snow in the morning, then a chance of snow in the afternoon. Snow accumulation of 2 to 3 inches. Total snow accumulation 3 to 4 inches. Highs near 30. North wind 20 to 30 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon.

SUNDAY NIGHT…Breezy. Mostly cloudy. A chance of snow showers in the evening. Lows 15 to 20. North wind 15 to 25 mph becoming northeast after midnight.

Let us know if/when you see more snow – text our hotline at 206-2936302 – thank you!

7:30 AM SUNDAY: The snow has arrived! Separate coverage later.

(Snowy Olympic foothills photographed from West Seattle today by Marty Westerman)

After days of talk about extremely cold weather on the way, the National Weather Service has issued the first official alert about it: A Winter Weather Advisory, in effect 4 am Saturday through 4 pm Sunday. The advisory is as wide-ranging as the forecasts have been, saying: “Snow will most likely develop in showers and bands, leading to highly variable snow accumulations. The best timing for heavier snow is Saturday night into Sunday.” The forecast for this evening, meantime, says you might see a few flakes, but insists, “no snow accumulation.” (If and when you see snow, let us know where – text 206-293-6302 – thank you!) P.S. Here’s the newest safety info from the city. No official city-supported shelters in our idea, but if you can help with the emergency shelter at West Seattle’s American Legion Post 160, here’s how.

Thanks to Carolyn Fitzgerald for the photo of the greeting her family created at Jack Block Park today. Winter arrived at 7:59 am, and the day was colder than normal – hitting only 37 degrees, nine degrees below the usual high. The forecast for this weekend still includes the possibility of snow – maybe as soon as Christmas Day – though the National Weather Service reminds us that it’s always difficult to accurately forecast snow around here; right now, the NWS says, if it does snow, it’s not likely to be much – “total snowfall Saturday through Monday only looks to be 1-3 inches for this entire period with not a single 6-hour block of snowfall exceeding a quarter of an inch.” No alerts yet, but it’s early. P.S. Snow or no snow, Sunday and Monday nights could drop into the 20s.

8:29 AM: Thanks for all the tips. Yes, it’s snowing, just about everywhere! So far, forecasters say it’s not expected to stick. But as @WestSeaWx notes – and as we mentioned in today’s traffic/weather watch – we’re likely to see more later this week. For today, however, this was NOT in the forecast.

8:50 AM: Just in case you’re missing it, some tweeted video:

We’re around 300′ and still seeing snow mixed with the rain. Sea level may not be seeing it at all, though – we have at least one “snowless” report, from Alki.

9:15 AM: Just rain now.

9:36 AM: For the record – and remember that this is likely to change – here’s what the National Weather Service is forecasting for the next appearance(s) of snow:

THURSDAY NIGHT…Rain likely in the evening, then rain and snow after midnight. Lows in the mid to upper 30s.

FRIDAY…Rain and snow in the morning, then rain at times in the afternoon. Snow level near 500 feet. Highs in the lower 40s.

FRIDAY NIGHT…Rain at times in the evening, then rain and snow after midnight. Snow level near 500 feet. Lows in the lower to mid 30s.

CHRISTMAS DAY…Rain and snow. Snow level near sea level. Highs in the upper 30s.

SATURDAY NIGHT…Snow. Lows in the mid to upper 20s.

SUNDAY…Snow in the morning, then snow likely in the afternoon. Highs in the lower 30s.

11:50 AM: As commenters note – and as we’ve seen here too – the flurries have returned, off and on