Just when we thought it was all over, the National Weather Service issued a “Winter Weather Advisory” Saturday afternoon (Feb. 26th) warning us that “snowfall accumulations of a trace to 2 inches are expected from tonight through Sunday morning.”

This alert is for the I-5 corridor stretching from Lewis to King counties, and it’s in effect from 7pm tonight until 9am Sunday morning.

Here’s the statement in its entirety:

Statement as of 3:23 PM PST on February 26, 2011

… Winter Weather Advisory in effect from 7 PM this evening to 9 am PST Sunday…

The National Weather Service in Seattle has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for the I-5 corridor of Lewis… Thurston… Pierce and King counties for snow… which is in effect from 7 PM this evening to 9 am PST Sunday.

* Some affected locations… Chehalis… Centralia… Olympia… Tacoma… Federal Way… Seattle and Bremerton.

* Accumulations… snowfall accumulations of a trace to 2 inches are expected from tonight through Sunday morning.

* Timing… areas of snow are expected to expand this evening. Snow will gradually mix with or change to rain at lower elevations from late evening on but might remain as snow on higher hills through Sunday morning.

Precautionary/preparedness actions…

A Winter Weather Advisory means that periods of snow… sleet… or freezing rain will cause travel difficulties. Be prepared for slippery roads and limited visibilities… and use caution while driving.

Here’s the forecast for the next week:

Tonight: Snow. Low around 34. South southwest wind between 11 and 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. Total nighttime snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.

Sunday: Rain and snow, becoming all rain after 10am. Snow level 400 feet rising to 1000 feet. High near 42. South southwest wind between 14 and 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Sunday Night: Rain showers before 4am, then rain and snow showers. Snow level 1100 feet. Low around 35. South southwest wind between 10 and 18 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Monday: Rain and snow showers, becoming all rain after 10am. Snow level 500 feet. High near 41. South southeast wind between 7 and 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Monday Night: Rain showers likely before 10pm, then rain and snow showers likely. Snow level 500 feet. Cloudy, with a low around 34. South southwest wind around 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Tuesday: Rain and snow showers likely, becoming all rain after 10am. Snow level rising to 800 feet. Cloudy, with a high near 43. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Tuesday Night: Rain. Low around 36. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Wednesday: Showers. Cloudy, with a high near 45.

Wednesday Night: Rain and snow showers likely. Snow level 700 feet. Cloudy, with a low around 36.

Thursday: Rain and snow showers likely. Snow level rising to 800 feet. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 45.

Thursday Night: Rain and snow showers likely. Snow level 1000 feet lowering to 400 feet. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 36.

Friday: Rain and snow showers likely. Snow level rising to 900 feet. Cloudy, with a high near 45.

Friday Night: Showers likely. Cloudy, with a low around 39.

Saturday: Showers likely. Cloudy, with a high near 46.

One easy way to see if the Weather Wonks are correct is to check out our collection of webcams from around the area:

Wag the Dog Dogcam #2:

Many of us B-Towners received a “Burien Alert” robocall Friday (Oct. 22nd), alerting us to the fact that, beginning Monday, Oct. 25th, construction crews will start work on curbs and sidewalks on Ambaum Blvd. at SW 112th.

The cityfolk say that the right lane on Ambaum may be closed for “short periods of time to accommodate the work,” and the work should take 4-6 weeks.

And at least with this “Burien Alert” they hired a new Voiceover Announcer, who sounds suspiciously like Management Analyst Jenn Robson Ramirez (way to go Jenn for not stumbling on any words!):

[display_podcast]

They also add:

During the same period, or directly following, crews will do the same type of work starting at SW 156th and work their way north to SW 112th. The City is working closely with Metro Transit to minimize impacts for bus riders.

Also, construction on storm drainage continues on SW 128th, between 8th SW and 4th SW, so drivers can expect delays.

Here’s the exact lingo direct from the city’s website:

Curb and Sidewalk Improvements on Ambaum Blvd
Beginning Monday, October 25, 2010 construction crews will begin improvements to curbs and sidewalks on Ambaum Boulevard beginning at SW 112th and working their way south to SW 156th St. The right lane may be closed for short periods of time to accommodate the work. This work should take 4-6 weeks. During the same period, or directly following, crews will do the same type of work starting at SW 156th and work their way north to SW 112th. The City is working closely with Metro Transit to minimize impacts for bus riders.

SW 128th Street Storm Drainage System Repairs Continue
Monday, October 25, 2010 – Construction crews continue repair work on the storm drainage system located below SW 128th St. Drivers can expect lane closures on SW 128th St. from 8th Ave SW to 4th Ave SW. At no time will the road be completely closed but drivers may experience delays.

We originally thought these Burien Alerts were going to be used just for emergencies, but it looks like we were wrong – they’re now calling peeps and giving recorded road construction updates.

Here’s what the city’s website says about this service:

Get alerted about emergencies and other important community news by signing up for our Emergency Alert Program. This emergency notification system enables the City to provide you with critical information quickly in a variety of situations, such as severe weather, unexpected road closures, missing persons, and evacuation of buildings or neighborhoods.

You will receive time-sensitive messages wherever you specify, such as your home, cell, or business phone, email, text messages, hearing impaired receiving devices, and more. You pick where, you pick how.

To sign up for this free service, click here.

To read our review of the city’s first “test message” recording, which includes our own suggested audio version, click here.

If you live in Burien and your telephone rings on Wednesday, Oct. 6th, don’t be alarmed if you hear a recorded message for a test emergency earthquake drill.

The City of Burien will participate in a countywide earthquake drill on that date, opening its emergency operations center and performing functions as if the emergency were real including communicating with residents and businesses.

In addition to the robo-calls, here’s what else will be going on:

• Residents may also see an alert on the City website.
• Alerts will also be broadcast on the City’s radio station, Radio Free Burien (540 AM) and on Burien Cable Channel 21.
• People with telephone land lines in their homes or businesses will receive an emergency alert through Burien Alert, the City’s new emergency notification system that went into effect Sept. 15. Those who have signed up to receive alerts over their cell phones and other electronic devices will receive a call from Burien Alert.

People can “opt in” their cell phones and other devices to the Burien Alert system by clicking the “Burien Alert” button on the City’s Web home page at www.burienwa.gov. Those without Internet access can come to City Hall for assistance opting in. For more information on Burien Alert, go to www.burienwa.gov/alert.

For more information on Burien’s new “Alert” system, read our previous coverage on this story here.

The City of Burien announced in its latest quarterly newsletter (link to PDF file here) that it has created a “new way to receive alerts about natural disasters and other emergencies” it’s calling “Burien Alert.”

The program is scheduled to begin Sept. 15, and according to the city, it will serve as a mass notification system that enables emergency officials and other first responders to notify residents via a “reverse 911″ type of message.

Residents will be allowed to “opt-in” to the service by clicking on a Burien ALERT button that will be at the bottom of the city’s website beginning Sept. 15th (it’s not up there yet).

Also, on Wednesday, Oct. 6th, the city is planning on participating in a countywide earthquake drill, where it will open its emergency operations center and perform functions as if the incident were real, including communicating with residents and businesses.

Here’s more from the city’s announcement:

The system will notify residents and businesses about significant risks to health and safety. Public safety officials can send alerts about emergencies such as severe weather, floods, utility disruptions or critical police activity. Emergency alerts may be sent 24 hours a day, based on severity. When a number is called, the person receiving the call will be instructed to press 1 to hear the message. The emergency or community alert will follow.

Households and businesses with a land line will automatically receive the emergency alert. The system allows individuals the opportunity to ‘opt-in’ their alternative electronic devices, including cell phones, work phones, text messages, e-mails, and more.

Residents and businesses can opt in on the Internet by accessing the Burien ALERT button at the bottom of the City Web page at www.burienwa.gov and following the opt-in instructions. People without access to the Internet can come to City Hall for assistance opting in. General information and frequently asked questions about Burien Alert can be found at www.burienwa.gov/Alert (EDITOR’S NOTE: this page will apparently be activated Sept. 15th). Besides choosing how to receive emergency notifications, users also can choose to receive alerts regarding locations of interest – emergencies that may affect a residence, workplace, child’s school or other areas that are within the Burien city limits. Businesses benefit when their employees opt in because wherever they are, information can be relayed to their employees about local emergencies.

Everyone with land lines will continue to receive emergency notifications, regardless of whether they opt in with other devices. Those who opt in will receive an emergency notification on their land line or on devices they chose when they opted in.

On Wednesday, Oct. 6, the City of Burien will participate in a county-wide earthquake drill. The City will open its emergency operations center and perform functions as if the incident were real, including commu- nicating with residents and businesses.

You may see an alert on the City Website, or hear an emergency radio broadcast on Radio Free Burien 540 AM or view one on Burien Channel 21. People with telephone land lines or who have signed up to receive alerts over their cell phones and other devices will receive a call from Burien Alert.

So if you’ve got breathing issues, or know someone who does, you might want to be cautious.

Here’s the warning:

High levels of ozone pollution (smog) are being forecast by the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency for the Cascade foothills of King and Pierce counties and are expected to reach the “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (USG)” category this weekend as the region comes under the influence of a hot and stagnant weather pattern.

Exposure to ground-level ozone can trigger asthma attacks, make breathing difficult, exacerbate lung and heart problems and weaken the immune system. The Washington State Department of Health recommends that people who are sensitive to air pollution limit time spent outdoors. Air pollution is especially harmful to children, people with heart and lung problems, and adults over age 65.

Smoggy conditions will mostly impact communities in the Cascade foothills of King and Pierce counties. These outlying suburban and rural areas accumulate pollution generated by traffic and activities in the urban areas of Everett, Seattle and Tacoma.

Fine particle pollution levels are also rising, and are likely to reach the ?Moderate? category in most areas throughout the Puget Sound region.

Elevated pollution levels are expected to last at least through Tuesday.

Monitor current ozone levels at http://www.pscleanair.org/airq/aqiozone.aspx#.

To learn about the extended air quality forecast, read our forecast discussion at: http://www.pscleanair.org/fcstdisc.aspx.

Minimizing summertime ozone takes year-round effort. It’s changing everyday behaviors that can add up to cleaner, less smoggy air. To learn more about smog and what you can to lessen the pollution leading up to it, visit www.pscleanair.org/airq/basics/weather/smog.aspx.

The Washington State Department of Transportation wants folks to be aware that all lanes of northbound I-5 at SR-599 in Tukwila will be closed tonight (Tues., Jan. 19th) beginning at 11:30pm and continuing until 4:30am Wednesday morning.

Drivers will be detoured off I-5 onto SR-599 and will return to northbound I-5 via the Boeing Access Road.

The following ramps will also be closed from 11:30pm to 4:30am:

• Eastbound SR 518 to northbound I-5
• Interurban Avenue S. to northbound I-5

The closure will allow crews to install a new sign bridge.

Here’s a map of the area:

As if our wild and wacky winter wasn’t enough, here comes a new “Special Weather Statement” from the National Weather Service that may just freeze your weekend gardening plans – in a nutshell, it’s gonna be COLD, so protect your plants (we suggest wrapping each one individually in a Snuggie Blanket with Sleeves:

Statement as of 4:40 AM PDT on April 03, 2009

… Record lows possible Saturday morning… Wet start to April…

The cold weather in March has extended into the first few days of April for western Washington. An upper level ridge will begin building over the area later today and tonight. With the ridge building skies will clear out across western Washington overnight into Saturday morning. A very cool air mass will still be in place over the area and with the clearing skies low temperatures Saturday morning could drop to below freezing in some locations with some record breaking lows possible.

The record low for Seattle is 31 degrees set in 1948. The record for Olympia is 26 degrees set in 2001.

The best chances for below freezing temperatures will be in the southwest interior.

Persons who may already have sensitive plants in the ground will want to take preventive measures to protect the plants.

In Seattle… record rainfall has been recorded at Seattle-Tacoma Airport on both the first and the second of the month. Total rainfall for the first two days of the month was 1.31 inches which is over half the monthly normal rainfall total of 2.59 inches. The only time in Seattle weather records that more rain has been recorded on the first two days of April was back in 1915 when 1.87 inches of rain was recorded. Records go back to 1891.

Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna has released this alert, about a telephone scam in which Spanish-speaking callers claim to be from “the insurance agency”:

Callers claim to be from “the insurance agency”

SEATTLE – The Washington Attorney General’s Office is alerting residents about a phone scam in which Spanish-speaking callers claim to be representatives of an insurance company.

Hispanic business owners from Seattle to Yakima and Spokane have reported receiving phone calls from Spanish-speaking callers who claim to be from “the insurance company.” In some cases, the callers also provide the names of actual insurance companies and/or agents.

The callers ask for bank account information they claim is needed to process insurance payments. The callers have left messages if owners aren’t home, along with phone numbers that start with 800, 877 and 752 area codes.

At least two individuals provided bank information to their cons, according to Unico Insurance Agency in Woodinville, which reported the fraud to the Attorney General’s Office. Company owner Carlos Garces said he has received more than 200 calls from customers, primarily restaurant owners, in recent months inquiring about phone calls. In some cases, the cons have mentioned his name. Garces said he is doing what he can to protect his customers and telling them to contact their bank if they provided any information.

The owner of a Spokane grocery store and deli also contacted the Attorney General’s Office after receiving more than 10 calls from individuals who claimed to be associated with various insurance companies. He said the callers, both men and women appeared to be friendly and tried to build up his trust. They claimed they needed to send an investigator to the business. The owner recognized the scam and did not provide any personal information.

As a reminder, never provide your bank account, Social Security number or other personal information to someone who asks for it by phone, e-mail or text message.

If you believe a call might be legitimate, ask for the caller’s name and contact details then end the conversation. Call the business directly using the number on your insurance card, statement or in the phone book.

If you believe you may have provided information in response to a fraudulent phone call, report the information immediately to your bank and place a fraud alert on your credit report.

To read this in Español, click here.

Turns out it was a snowplow.

An actual snowplow.

Plowing the snow.

In Brrrien!

As you may recall from a report we did on Thursday (Dec. 18th), several Burien-area residents were upset enough with the previous lack of city snowplowing and road care that they posted numerous rants on Craigslist.

Speaking of Mr. Plow, the City of Seattle sends us this press release about their road-clearing efforts, which we’ve truncated here:

At a briefing this evening at the Emergency Operations Center, Mayor Greg Nickels announced that a fleet of 27 snow plows are clearing Seattle roads and seven utility repair crews stand ready to respond as a winter storm hits the region.

The city of Seattle activated its Emergency Operations Center at 2 pm on Saturday, coordinating responses by the Department of Transportation, Seattle City Light, Seattle Public Utilities, Human Services, Police, Fire and Parks departments.

Snow and ice removal crews will continue clearing arterial roads through the night. Road conditions may become icy tonight as temperatures drop. Two trucks will be dedicated to the West Seattle Bridge and the Alaskan Way Viaduct. The Seattle Department of Transportation is urging residents only to drive if necessary.

A primary concern tonight is expected to be high winds, particular in east King County. At this hour, there are no power outages within the city of Seattle, but City Light is prepared to call in as many crews as needed if conditions change.

Three severe weather shelters remain open at least through Monday night: City Hall, Frye Hotel, and Seattle Center Pavilion B. Shelter beds are still available. Last night, 143 people stayed at the three shelters. During the day, Seattle residents can find warm, public space at Parks Department community centers and the Seattle Center. The following community centers will be open on Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.: Garfield Community Center, Rainier Beach Community Center, South Park Community Center, Rainier Community Center and Hiawatha Community Center.

Seattle’s recycling and garbage transfer stations will be closed tomorrow. Solid waste customers who were missed for pickup today should bring in their containers until next week.

Not to be outdone, the City of Burien issued its own safety alert this afternoon:

SEVERE WEATHER ALERT: Snow & high winds are predicted for today, and Burien residents are urged to be prepared for possible power outages and extreme cold.

The City of Burien is monitoring conditions and will post updated information as it becomes available to the City website (www.burienwa.gov).

All Parks & Recreation programs and facility rentals are canceled. Metro Bus Service is severely impacted.

For complete and up-to-date information regarding this severe storm, visit the National Weather Service website at www.weather.gov/seattle.

Of course we went to the city’s website, expecting to see more detailed info, but alas, the most recent update was from yesterday (Fri. 12/19). Hmmm…

Also, here’s the latest Winter Storm Warning from our friends at the National Weather Service:

A Winter Storm Warning remains in effect until 10 am PST Sunday.

Another round of heavy snow is expected tonight through Sunday morning. Heaviest snow will occur on the Kitsap peninsula… along Hood Canal… and from Olympia and Chehalis west to the central coast near Ocean Shores. 10 to 18 inches of snow is expected close to the Hood Canal. Other locations within this area should get 5 to 12 inches of snow.

Along the I-5 Corridor North of Tacoma… including Seattle and Everett… storm total snowfall of 4 to 8 inches is expected. In general… lighter amounts will occur near the Cascade foothills with heavier amounts farther west along the shores of Puget Sound. Some parts of eastern King County… where wind is a big threat… will receive 1 inch or less of snowfall.

Late tonight into Sunday morning… freezing rain is possible in Grays Harbor County and the lower Chehalis valley. If more precipitation occurs in the form of freezing rain than snow…  then an ice storm would be possible with ice accumulations in excess of one quarter of an inch. Ice storms are capable of causing power lines and large tree branches to snap and cause major travel disruptions.

Precautionary/preparedness actions…

A Winter Storm Warning means significant amounts of snow… sleet… and ice are expected or occurring. Strong winds are also possible. This will make travel very hazardous or impossible.

And the B-Town Blog Weather Rockâ„¢’s first-hand (or rock) report is thus:

• As of 7pm 12/20, 1-inch of new snow has accumulated since the storm moved in this afternoon. We now have between 5-7 inches of snow here, and growing.
• The new snow is icier, powdery, and harder to make snowballs and snowpeople with. Dang.
• This type of icy snow sparkles in the basking glow of the still-functioning street lights. Purdy.
• The Weather Rockâ„¢ predicts 3-5 inches will fall overnight.
• The Weather Rockâ„¢ has detected little or no wind. Yet.
• Our new kerosene heater is still sitting in its box, awaiting emergency use for potential power outages.
• Some sleet is mixed in with this batch of precipitation – evidenced as it clumped up quickly into freezing messes on the windshield as we drove. Is this a sign of a potential “ice storm” that may be developing? Stay tuned…

We’re tired of waiting for the snow.

We’re tired of looking out the windows, squinting at street lights in hopes of seeing those oh-so-elusive white flakes fluttering by like lost, downward-spiraling moths.

So, we’re resorting to the lazy man’s snow watch – live webcam feeds!

Check the webcams below through the night and make sure you refresh the page for the latest images.

Also keep your eye on the Weather Button on the right sidebar for the current temp and any new weather “Advisory.”

If you see snow, be sure to turn off your alarm clock, since tomorrow will surely be a “real” snow day (yeah right):