Be prepared should winter hit earlier than expected.

From King County Metro:

On Monday morning, December 5, transit service in King County may be affected by snow. If Metro service is affected by snow or other weather-related events, the Metro Online website will be updated and Transit Alerts will be sent to affected subscribers.

Metro riders can prepare ahead of time by visiting Metro Online and familiarizing themselves with information about how Metro operates in the snow, as well as the snow routing for the routes they ride.

When streets are snowy or icy, it is best to be aware of conditions in your immediate area, check media reports, check for transit reroutes, then wait for buses at posted bus stops on the flat portions of arterial streets that have been cleared, or at major transfer points such as transit centers or park and ride lots.

Be prepared for the weather, longer than usual waits and more crowded buses.

While Metro utilizes all available resources to operate service as normally as possible during adverse conditions, the safety of everyone is the highest priority. Buses may be delayed or rerouted, and Metro staff cannot tell when a specific bus might get to a stop. Transit customers should check the Snow & Ice page for information about their route’s status or routing revisions, use the regularly published schedule as a guide, then expect delays.

Everyone’s preparedness and patience during snow or other adverse conditions is appreciated.

From King County Department of Transportation:

Travelers: Prepare for cold weather and possible snow

As the Puget Sound region braces for its first winter cold snap, travelers in King County should prepare for the possibility of snow and travel disruptions later this weekend and next week.

At the moment, the National Weather Service forecasts temperatures to begin dropping Sunday, with possible overnight freezing temperatures Monday and Tuesday. The King County Department of Transportation urges Metro Transit customers and water taxi riders, as well as people who travel unincorporated county roads, to monitor weather reports and connect to information available from King County, including travel alerts.

King County’s My Commute page is a resource for monitoring the status of roads, and information is available on the county roads’ snow response page.

Metro Transit riders can review timetables and the transit adverse weather page for snow route information.

Regional updates will be posted on the King County Emergency blog.

Road Services crews are on rotation and available to sand and plow mapped snow routes. Call the 24/7 Roads Helpline to report road traffic safety issues in unincorporated King County, such as downed stop signs, malfunctioning signals or trees over the roadway. The 24/7 Helpline: 206-477-8100 or 1-800-527-6237 (1-800-KC-ROADS). The Snow and Ice page has more information.

Metro Transit supervisors are staffing the agency’s control center, actively monitoring the forecast and will respond to changing weather conditions in the event they affect roads across King County. If necessary, Metro has the ability to chain its fleet and shift buses to snow routes. As weather conditions continue to develop, Metro customers are urged to familiarize themselves with the planned snow route for their regular bus.

Water Taxi crews are prepared to respond to icy conditions should they develop at the docks served by the water taxi, which currently operates weekday service.

Airport personnel monitor airfield conditions, including during periods of very cold temperatures and possible snow. Crews recently began weekly coordinated snow-removal practice runs and are prepared to remove snow from the runways when needed.

Resources for travelers