It’s nonetheless a novelty when it snows in Seattle. Seemingly mature grown-ups sure round among the many flakes and experience trash can lids down newly fashioned sledding hills. Nevertheless it doesn’t take lengthy for our steep, icy streets to show into one thing lots much less enjoyable. Right here’s how native businesses handle the snow—and the way residents are supposed to assist.
That Identify Once more Is Mr. Plow
The most important plow fleet within the state belongs to the Washington State Division of Transportation, which is accountable for sustaining main highways, totaling greater than 20,000 lane miles.
WSDOT owns 563 snowplows statewide and 5 tow plows, a few of which have been given pleasant names:
- Plowie McPlow Plow
- The Massive Leplowski
- Sir Plows-A-Lot
- Betty Whiteout
How Many Plows?
That’s an advanced query. Some automobiles enlisted for plowing aren’t solely used for snow and ice preventing. However the Seattle Division of Transportation has greater than 50 automobiles in its snow-fighting fleet.
For comparability’s sake, Boston has 170—with the choice to rent greater than 800 personal plows. Then once more, that metropolis additionally averages 50 extra inches of snow than Seattle.
Seattle Snow by the Numbers
- 828 Report snowfall, in inches, in a single season at Snoqualmie Go, in 1955–56.
- 2,300 Miles of sidewalks in Seattle. Householders and enterprise homeowners are legally (and karmically) accountable for clearing their sidewalk of snow and ice as quickly as doable.
- 1,200 Miles of roadway on which SDOT focuses its plowing efforts, together with major arterials and routes essential to transit, hospitals and emergency companies, main employers, and shelters. Seattle residents can name 206-684-ROAD to report icy aspect streets.
-
9 Washington highways that require snow clearing in winter. Six require blasting to preemptively trigger avalanches earlier than they might bury vacationers.
Historically WSDOT leases artillery from the Division of Protection to do avalanche management, however current implementation of distant programs at Stevens Go have made work there extra environment friendly and safer.
The Nice Salt Debate
Seattle banned the usage of salt for deicing in 1998 for environmental causes. Then, a decade later, mayor Greg Nickels reversed the coverage after a big snowstorm and an excessive amount of ridicule.
There isn’t a “good” environmental reply for retaining roads clear. Today SDOT makes use of magnesium chloride to pretreat roads and forestall ice buildup, then collaborates with Seattle Public Utilities to determine the easiest way to deice particular person roads relying on whether or not they drain into recent or salt water.
The place Do Potholes Come From?
The pavement in our roads is porous—at any time when it rains or snows, water seeps in. Throughout chilly temperatures, that water freezes and expands, inflicting cracks beneath the floor, weakening the highway. When heavy automobiles cross over these cracked areas, items can break off.
One other problem? Asphalt doesn’t bind effectively in freezing temperatures, says SDOT. So typically repairs have to attend.
Ideas:
- Suppose earlier than you sled—even on streets that appear empty. It may be arduous for automobiles to cease on snowy and icy roads.
- Clear the snow off your automotive earlier than getting on the highway. SDOT says there’s no particular regulation about this, but when your negligence causes an accident, you will be liable.
Seattle Snowfall Over the Years
* = La Niña 12 months
La Niña is the title given to the periodic cooling of ocean temperatures within the Pacific. 2024–25 is projected to be a La Niña 12 months—which might imply extra snow within the Pacific Northwest.
- 2003−04 0 in
- 2004−05 0 in
- 2005−06* 1.8 in
- 2006−07 3.6 in
- 2007−08* 3.2 in
- 2008−09* 23.3 in
- 2009−10 hint
- 2010−11* 7.8 in
- 2011−12* 10.5 in
- 2012−13 0.6 in
- 2013−14 4.0 in
- 2014−15 0.8 in
- 2015−16 hint
- 2016−17 11.2 in
- 2017−18* 4.0 in
- 2018−19 21.0 in
- 2019−20 0.7 in
- 2020−21* 12.9 in
- 2021−22* 9.2 in
- 2022−23* 8.1 in
- 2023−24 0.3 in
