13,000 without power across Capitol Hill, Central District, and Madison Park — UPDATE: ‘Winter storm warning’ snow

Thanks to a reader for this snowy overnight picture

UPDATE 11/30/2022 6:36 AM: Streets were reported bare but there were plenty of slushy sidewalks and gutters early Wednesday morning across Capitol Hill.

Rising temperatures should mean no more accumulating snow through the day with the forecast calling for a mix of rain and snow Wednesday night. Several power outages continue through the north of the city with small pockets without power in the area of North Capitol Hill.

Sorry, kids, no snow day. Seattle Public Schools in Central Seattle were fully operational.

King County Metro, meanwhile, has lifted its short-lived shift to snow routes in the central city. You can check the CHS Traffic Cams page to see conditions in the Broadway and Pike/Pine core.

UPDATE 12:45 AM: We’ve added a few pictures from snowy Volunteer Park to the post. City Light was reporting 81 active power outages in the city and several locations around the Hill and beyond reported utility wires for services like phone, internet, and cable television down from falling snow-laden branches. Around the Hill, wires were reported down at the 600 block of E Pine, 17th and Yesler, the 900 block of 20th Ave, 14th and Aloha, the 500 block of 17th Ave E, the 700 block of 22nd Ave E, and the 1000 block of Boylston Ave E.

Denny is becoming quite the show pic.twitter.com/f9fLdQohkl

— Vanver Brown (@Var1984) November 30, 2022

UPDATE 11:00 PM: About an inch had accumulated at Capitol Hill’s highest points as snowfall outpaced predictions and the expected transition to warmer temperatures and rain failed to materialize late Tuesday night. Meanwhile, areas north of the city were being hit with heavy snow. The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for the area with Capitol Hill falling right at the dividing line where rain was expected.

While temperatures are still expected to warm overnight, accumulations could persist and make for a slippery morning. Slippery streets were reportedly already claiming a few sliding and skidding cars on the Hill’s most most notorious steep routes like Denny Way. If it comes to it, stick to the city’s planned snow routes where plowing will take place if conditions warrant.

A winter storm warning (areas in pink) has been issued for King & Snohomish Counties through 11AM Wed. Generally expect up to 3-4 inches of additional snow accumulation through tonight (likely less around downtown Seattle) #wawx pic.twitter.com/CNUelxZZ1K

— NWS Seattle (@NWSSeattle) November 30, 2022

Capitol Hill — November 29 pic.twitter.com/uwf6rfiMjm

— Lexi Davenport (@lexidavenportTV) November 30, 2022

Original report: Seattle City Light reported more than 13,000 customers were without power Tuesday night as crews worked to determine a cause for the widespread outage on a windy night of rain mixed with snow and temperatures in the 30s.

The city’s outage map showed power out to swaths of northern Capitol Hill and the Central District, the entirety of the Montlake and Madison Park neighborhoods, as well as much of Madrona.

Capitol Hill’s Pike/Pine neighborhood, Broadway south of John, and the E Olive Way corridor were reported still with power.

The outage was reported to have started around 7:15 PM.

Seattle Fire was responding to multiple elevator rescues in the area as well as many automatic fire alarms that were triggered by the loss of power.

Traffic signals were also reported dark across the area. Remember to treat dark signaled intersections as four-way stops.

UPDATE: Curiously, there are a few swaths where power has remained on along 19th Ave E. We’ll check in with City Light to find out the explanation once things settle down. In the meantime, if you have a friend in these zones, you might want to make a visit if the outage drags on.

UPDATE 8:40 PM: That was fast. City Light reports that power is back on for 11,000 of the customers who went dark — more than 2,500 remain without power around Montlake. SCL said it did not yet have an official cause for the outage.

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