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Tuesday morning's headlines

A blanket of snow and ice on the roads is forcing many to stay home Tuesday. Schools are closed, as buses aren't able to navigate side streets, like this one in Renton.
Twitpic/@AlvinBN
A blanket of snow and ice on the roads is forcing many to stay home Tuesday. Schools are closed, as buses aren't able to navigate side streets, like this one in Renton.

Sunshine for the deep freeze, winds cause power outages, and roads remain a mess. 

Clear, Cold and Crunchy

You can expect to see lots of sunshine today, quite a difference after record setting snow fell Monday. SeaTac set a snow record for the date, at 2.5 inches, but nothing like some areas received

Communities along the north Olympic Peninsula received a foot or more. The National Weather Service’s Ted Buehner told KPLU News the region received something similar to the famous “lake effect,” where deep snow piles along the shorelines of the Great Lakes.

“In our case, strong north winds are coming out of the Fraser River Canyon and blowing across the waters past the San Juan Islands and into the Olympic Peninsula,” Buehner said.

More moisture off the water, more snow.

 

Frigid Temps Today

The temperatures will not get above freezing today across western Washington. Highs will be in the low to mid 20's around Puget Sound.  Forecasters warn the coldest lows are on the way tonight, with some areas seeing single digits. 

 

Winds Bring Power Outages

As Tuesday dawned more than 60,000 homes were without power around the region. Most of the outages  are in Kitsap County, where winds brought tree limbs down over power lines. The Kitsap Sun reports:

Crews across the county were dealing with reports of fires. Central Kitsap Fire and Rescue asked all available volunteer firefighters to help respond to calls.Power outages were widespread throughout the county. Though she couldn’t give numbers, PSE spokeswoman Dorothy Bracken said Kitsap County was the hardest-hit area of Western Washington.

Outages were also reported on the Key Peninsula and other areas of Pierce County. About 5,700 Seattle City Light customers in north Seattle and Shoreline had power restored overnight. 

 

No Road Warriors, Please

That's the request from transportation officials, who would prefer you remain at home and off area roads today if at all possible. Compact snow and ice make driving treacherous.  At one point during the early Tuesday morning commute, all southbound lanes on I-5 at the Lake City exit in Seattle were closed due to a bad accident.

If you must drive,the Herald of Everett relays these tips from the state Department of Transportation:

 

  • Be careful when crossing bridges and overpasses or driving in shaded areas. Black ice is more likely to form in those spots.
  • Drive at a speed that suits your abilities. If traffic is moving too quickly, get to the right-hand lane and slow down.
  • Maintain a safe following distance at all times, and brake slowly.
  • Stick to major roads and highways, since they are more likely to be treated for ice than side streets.

 
Monday Night's Sled Warriors

After Denny Way in Seattle Capitol Hill neighborhood was closed due to ice yesterday evening, a different kind of road warrior,  with makeshift sleds, hit the street. This video is provided by the SeattlePI.com.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAiTMpHaKdU