6 p.m: Governor Chris Gregoire has proclaimed a state of emergency due to the winter storms. Her proclamation enables the state to quickly respond to request for aid.

"A number of counties and cities are struggling to meet the problems posed by this month's onslaught of snow and winter weather," she said in a statement released to the press. "Snowfall has reached record or near-record level in 30 of the state's 39 counties."

5 p.m: Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium officials say the Zoolights festival will reopen Christmas Night and will remain open through Jan. 4 as scheduled.

4:30 p.m.: 4,300 Seattle City Light customers are without power in North Seattle.

2:40 p.m.: City of Bothell facilities are open regular hours with the exceptions of Dec. 25 and Jan. 1. Residents are urged to call the City of Bothell Emergency Update Hotline at 425 -487-5132.

To report street flooding in the city of Tacoma, call (253) 591-5585.

2:30 p.m.: The City of Olympia Emergency Operations Center continues to monitor weather conditions. Residential garbage collection in Olympia has been suspended for today and tomorrow, December 24 and 25. City crews will be removing snow from downtown streets and parking areas Wednesday through Friday, with limited crews on Christmas Day (depending on conditions). Crews will work initially in the area bounded by Legion on the south, State Avenue to the north, Columbia on the west and Cherry on the east. Crews will work outward from there.

Due to heavy snow on trees, these Olympia parks and trails are closed: Priest Point Park and trails, Watershed Park and trails and Garfield Nature Trail.

2 p.m.: At a press conference, Mayor Greg Nickels said this is the first time in a decade the city of Seattle has faced this kind of series of weather events. He gives the city's response so far a "B" grade.

Nickels said it looks like "the worse is behind us." But we’ll continue to have freeze/thaw events, so motorists need to be careful. He said we’re seeing bare pavement on major arterials and they’re set to begin clearing smaller streets. Drainage will be an issue in the coming days. 206-684-3000 is the number to call for questions about garbage, drainage and power outages.

1: 30 p.m.: From the Associated Press: The National Weather Service says rain and temperatures in the 40s will return this weekend to Western Washington. Forecasters say the extended period of freezing weather and snow will be ending Christmas Day after one more shot of snow showers.

1 p.m.: Mayor Greg Nickels plans a 2 p.m. press conference to discuss city of Seattle's storm strategy.

12:40 p.m.: From the Associated Press: The National Weather Service says a significant winter storm will leave heavy snow across Eastern Washington and northern Idaho by Christmas Day. Forecasters expect 6 to 10 inches in the Spokane area. As of this morning, Spokane has already had 38 inches of snow this month.

12 p.m.: King County Executive Ron Sims has made a local Proclamation of Emergency, giving the county flexibility with contracting needs to improve roads and other weather-related impacts.

8:47 a.m.: Residential garbage, recycling, food and yard waste collection has been delayed in Seattle today due to dangerous road conditions. Wednesday residential customers will be collected next Wednesday Dec. 31.

8:20 a.m.: De-icer fumes got into a plane at Sea-Tac Airport, prompting a large emergency response.

7:46 a.m.: Waste Management has cancelled residential curbside collection throughout King, Snohomish and Kitsap Counties. Service is also cancelled in most of Skagit County, but commercial and residential garbage is being collected in Burlington, and residential recycling in Mount Vernon.

7:06 a.m.: The City of Bellevue is asking people to clear storm drains to prevent flooding when the rain begins. Thursday and Friday garbage and recycling collection customers this week will be delayed by one day due to the Christmas holiday. Thursday customers will be picked up on Friday, and Friday customers will be collected on Saturday. This assumes no further service interruption occurs due to inclement weather. If waste is not collected due to weather conditions on Friday or Saturday, it will be collected on Friday or Saturday the following week, due to the New Year's day holiday.

Bellvue city community centers are closed, including the Bellevue Botanical Garden and Garden d'Lights, and all recreational programs are canceled.

6:53 a.m.: Kitsap County recycling and garbage facilities at Poulsbo, Hansville, Olalla, and Silverdale are closed today because of the inclement. Call the Olympic View Transfer Station (360-674-2297) for their operating hours today.

6:51 a.m.: Metro bus service in King County is again severely limited today. Check your Check online before you leave home to see if your bus route is operating and if it is on snow routing.

5:45 a.m., Wednesday: Garbage, recycling and yard waste collection is canceled today in Shoreline. There will be limited commercial service.

3 p.m.: The City of Olympia Emergency Operations Center continues to monitor the weather situation. Tuesday through Friday this week (excluding Christmas Day), crews will be removing snow from downtown streets and parking areas. City offices are open on December 24. The following Olympia parks and trails are closed: Priest Point Park and trails, Watershed Park and trails, Garfield Nature Trail. City of Olympia regularly scheduled building inspections may be delayed 24 hours or longer. City buses are still running.

1 p.m.: After four days of flight cancellations and delays, Alaska Airlines and Horizon service in Portland and Seattle is returning to normal. They’re rebooking passengers who were delayed during the weather. Customers are still advised to check for the most current flight status information online at alaskaair.com or horizonair.com or by calling 1-800-252-7522 or 1-800-547-9308.

The city of Kenmore reports that no roads in Kenmore are closed. All building inspections have been cancelled and will be rescheduled to December 29 if road conditions permit.

12: 15 p.m.: Amtrak is resuming service on most of its trains today.  The routes that have returned to service include Eugene, Oregon and Vancouver BC.

Metro buses are only running half their regular routes again today. You’ll have the best luck catching one at major stops and at the top and bottom of hills.

Only scattered power outages are reported for Puget Sound Energy customers, mostly in Kitsap County. Snohomish County is working to restore power to about 750 customers this afternoon. Grays Harbor reports no outages at this hour.

12: p.m.: Ferry runs between Seattle and Bremerton are cancelled this morning. The cancellation has to do with problems getting fueling trucks to the ferry Kitsap. The Seattle Times reports that the 11:25 a.m. sailing from Seattle and the 12:25 p.m. sailing from Bremerton are cancelled, but the Kitsap will be back in service at 3 p.m.

Forecasts call for another 1 to 2 inches of snow in Bellevue Wednesday, and the city is reminding motorists to stick to main arterial roads whenever possible and use traction devices. Call 425-452-7840 to report hazardous road conditions.

The Bellevue City Community Centers are closed, including the Magic Season Ice Arena at Bellevue's Downtown Park, Bellevue Botanical Garden and Garden d'Lights. Recreational programs are canceled.  Bellevue is operating an emergency overnight shelter at Crossroads Community Center, 16000 NE 10th St., from 9:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m.

11:30 a.m.:  The city of Gig Harbor has declared a state of emergency due to snow accumulations and freezing temperatures. Residents are advised to stay off the roads.

9:30 a.m.: All Greyhound buses are running today, including those to Spokane and Portland/Eugene. There is no promise of service south of Eugene.

9:04 a.m.: Single-family residential garbage, recycling, food and yard waste collection has been delayed in Seattle today, due to dangerous road conditions. City collection contractors will attempt to service today's missed customers, Wednesday, Dec. 24, if road conditions improve. Customers missed today should leave their containers out tomorrow.

8:45 a.m.: Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium will be closed today due to weather conditions. Zoolights may reopen tonight.

8:22 a.m.: Snohomish County PUD says 750 customers are without power, scattered in north and east Snohomish County.

7:50 a.m.: Update: Waste Management is proceeding with garbage collection as access allows in South King County, including Federal Way, Auburn, Maple Valley, Algona and Pacific. South King County residents whose collection is missed today should leave containers out for possible collection tomorrow.

7:24 a.m.: Puget Sound Energy reports a few hundred customers in Kitsap County and a handful in scattered areas are without power. Everyone should have power back by evening at the latest. Customers who still don't have electricity by then should call PSE at 888-225-5773.

7:09 a.m.: Waste Management has cancelled residential curbside collection in King County north of Auburn and Federal Way, Kitsap County, and Snohomish County. Service is also cancelled in most of Skagit County, but commercial and residential garbage is being collected in Burlington, and residential recycling in Mount Vernon.

5:58 a.m.: Single-family residential garbage, recycling, and yard waste collection has been cancelled in the City of Shoreline today due to dangerous road conditions. Customers affected will be serviced next Tuesday, December 30th.

Monday

9:56 p.m.: The airport has two runways open and clear for operations. The ramps are clear, with de-icing procedures in place to ensure surface safety; de-icing will continue through the night, as necessary. The new third runway is being cleared tonight; if it is needed tomorrow, it will be treated with de-icing fluid and it will be ready for operations. Passengers ticketed for travel are encouraged to contact their airlines to confirm flights before going to the airport; if flights are cancelled, rebook travel arrangements by phone or online. Airlines anticipate being back on schedule or close to regular schedule in the morning.

5:02 p.m.: PSE is down to 6,500 customers without power. The majority of those customers are in Kitsap County, 300 in Skagit, and 600 in Island County, a few hundred in Thurston and North King County as well. All power is back in Whatcom and Jefferson. Skagit and Island should be fully restored later this evening, and most of King and Thurston.

4:50 p.m.: Seattle City Light reports that power has been restored to all customers in Ballard.

4:28 p.m.: A power outage has been reported in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood. It affects nearly 1,600 customers in an area bordered by NW 80th on the north, the Ship Canal on the south, 8th Avenue NW on the east and Puget Sound on the west.

4:19 p.m.: The Snohomish County PUD says they still have about 2,000 without power.

4:14 p.m.: A Grays Harbor PUD spokeswoman says they are down to only a few scattered power outages.

4:01 p.m.: 50 dairy cows are trapped in a collapsed shelter at 14410 Beaver Lake Road in Sedro-Woolley.

3:57 p.m.: A carport at the Kona Kai Apartments in Auburn collapsed under the weight of snow, totaling three vehicles.

3:54 p.m.: The Salvation Army's cold weather shelter in Everett, 2525 Rucker Ave., will reopen tonight, taking in guests from 8:30-10 p.m. The shelter will close at 7 a.m., Tuesday. Decisions on whether the shelter will re-open after that will be posted at everettsarmy.org .

3:38 p.m.: Due to heavy snow on trees, the following Olympia parks and trails are closed until further notice: Priest Point Park and trails, Watershed Park and trails, and Garfield Nature Trail. Heritage Park Fountain is turned off. It will be activated after weather consistently reaches 40 degrees and warmer. City officials are also reminding people who have buildings with flat roofs to remove snow and ice from roof drains so thawing water can drain and relieve weight pressure. People should also check awnings and carports for snow load problems.

3:11 p.m.: Snohomish County PUD reports 2,000 without power, most in the Lake Goodwin area. Tree limbs on lines and downed power lines are blamed for the outages.

2:45 p.m.: Greyhound will not be moving any buses in or out of Seattle today. Ticketed passengers are being allowed to stay in the terminal or on warm buses.

1:13 p.m.: Given the roof collapse in nearby Marysville, the City of Arlington is encouraging businesses to clear snow off roofs and canopies, focusing on getting the word out to downtown businesses and those with buildings at the Arlington Airport.

1:09 p.m: With weather conditions improving, the American Red Cross has closed the shelter at the Mason County Public Utility District in Shelton.

1:06 p.m.: Sound Transit’s Sounder commuter trains will run on a holiday schedule this afternoon and for the remainder of the week because of the difficult weather conditions. There will be no Sounder service Thursday, Christmas day. The holiday schedule can be found at soundtransit.org .

11 a.m.: Snohomish County PUD says they're down to about 4,800 without power, down from about 9,000 at 9 a.m.

10:41 a.m.: According to Ernie Swanson with the U.S. Postal Service, there are some routes that are impassible, but not a lot. At one point last Wednesday/Thursday, 65,000 did not get mail across the Puget Sound region. That number was down to about 9,600 on Friday and Saturday.

9:16 a.m.: Burien City Hall will be open for limited hours, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday and Tuesday. All Burien Parks and Recreation scheduled programs have been canceled for Monday.

9:12 a.m.: The heavy snow and storm conditions have led the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad to cancel the Amtrak Cascades trips for today. That's eight of 10 roundtrips daily between Seattle and Portland. BNSF is having difficulty keeping the track open, and they have a huge backlog of freight traffic. A decision about the Cascades route will be made Tuesday morning.

8:10 a.m.: Grays Harbor PUD says they are down to 30 outages in the Wishkah area.

7:42 a.m.: Snow has collapsed three-quarters of a roof of a building that manufactures mobile homes at 14219 Smokey Point Blvd, in Marysville, and caused a gas leak. Some of the surrounding industrial area is being evacuated as a precaution.

7:38 a.m.: The American Red Cross is in urgent need of platelet donors and Type "O" blood donors. Call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE.

7:21 a.m.: In Everett, the Everett Municipal Court is closed. If you have a court date scheduled for today, it will be rescheduled and you will receive a new notice for hearing in the mail.

The Everett Senior Activity Center is closed today.

Everett Transit is operating on snow routes. Riders can expect to wait 20 to 45 minutes for routes that operate during snow. For more information about routes, check the route signs at the bus stops or call (425) 257-7777.

All early morning swims and programs are canceled at Forest Park Swim Center. They will reassess mid morning and determine if they can re-open later on or after 10:30 a.m. For update info, call (425) 257-8312.

Also closed: Kasch Park Ballfields, Legion Memorial Golf Course, Walter Hall Golf Course Course, Phil Johnson Ball field playground area, west entrance to Forest Park. East entrance remains open at this time.

For up-to-date Forest Park Swim Center information, call

7:05 a.m.: Grays Harbor PUD says they have about 110 customers without power along the Mox Chehalis Road area near Porter and Humptulips. Most customers from the earlier outage had power restored at 3:30 a.m.

6:49 a.m.: Newcastle City Hall is closed today.

6:24 a.m.: In Bellevue, city community centers are closed, including the Magic Season Ice Arena at Bellevue's Downtown Park, Bellevue Botanical Garden and Garden d'Lights. All recreational programs are canceled.

Bellevue is operating an emergency overnight shelter at Crossroads Community Center, 16000 NE 10th St., from 9:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m.

5:19 a.m.: King County government update - All Seattle/King County Public Health Centers are currently scheduled for late opening at 10 a.m. Superior Court and Judicial administration, King County Council and the Assessor's Office will be closed. King County District Court will be closed Monday. Essential calendars will be held. Essential personnel should contact their management for instructions.

All public park facilities including Steve Cox, Evergreen Pool and the Aquatic Center will remain closed Monday.

Animal Care and Control: shelters in Bellevue and Kent are open but weather conditions are limiting where and how quickly officers can respond to animal-related calls out in the field. Residents should only call the Animal Care and Control Call Center (206-296-PETS) if they have a priority call: ones defined as a person or animal being attacked or severely bitten by an animal, an injured animal, or calls about animals being left outside exposed to the elements and without protection, fresh water and food.

4:12 a.m.:Snohomish County PUD reports 7,000 customers are without power in Arlington, Granite Falls north Stanwood, and scattered areas of Everett. They have 40-50 crews in the field to restore power.

Puget Sound Energy has 9,000 customers out of power in Poulsbo, Port Orchard.

3:56 a.m.: Waste Management has cancelled Monday waste collection services throughout Snohomish County and in North and East King County, including areas in and around the cities of Bothell, Burien, Carnation, Duvall, Issaquah, Kirkland, Newcastle, Redmond, Renton, Sammamish, and Seattle.

Residential customers whose collection is missed may set out twice the regular amount of garbage, recycling and/or yard waste at no additional charge on the next regularly scheduled collection day. If that day is a holiday, Waste Management will collect the following day. Because of the Christmas holiday this week, Thursday customers will be serviced on Friday and Friday customers will be serviced on Saturday.

ALL commercial customers will be serviced as soon as conditions allow safe collection. Priority service is given to locations such as hospitals and restaurants, where public health is a high priority.

1:25 a.m.: Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air resume Portland and Seattle operations today with significantly reduced early schedules. Customers are advised to check current flight status on alaskaair.com

11:58 p.m.: Puget Sound Energy reports scattered outages throughout the area, but the major areas are Olympia (3,000), Bainbridge Island (2,500) and Bremerton (2,300). All are weather-related.

10:57 p.m.: Tukwila Municipal Court is closed Monday.

10:51 p.m.: UW's Seattle campus will suspend operations for Monday.

10:48 p.m.: PSE says 3,000 are without power in the Bellevue area due to heavy snow on a substation.

10:15 p.m.: Grays Harbor PUD crews are continuing to work to restore power to 1,225 customers. Most outages have been caused by tree limbs and trees heavy with snow, breaking and hitting power. The East Hoquiam area north, including Kalaloch, Axford Prairie, Quinault, Wishkah and Crane Creek, about 1,125 customers. Estimated restoration time of power is about 2 a.m.-3 a.m. Monday. End of Wynochee Valley Road: About 50 customers. Black Creek Road: About 50 customers without power due to a downed wire. The estimated time for restoration of power is about 1 a.m., Monday.

There are also reports of small scattered outages throughout the county.  No estimated time for restoration of power.

8:01 p.m.: Heavy snow collapses the tent-like roof of the skating rink in Bellevue. Ten people are trapped and one girl is injured.

6:30 p.m.: The City of Olympia has reported that heavy snow load is damaging roofs of carports and boathouse structures.

Weather conditions could result in reduced service on all ferry routes beginning this evening and throughout the day Monday.

Westbound SR 410 is closed from milepost 11 to 13 in Bonney Lake due to disabled vehicles.

Grays Harbor PUD reports about 2,500 are without power

4:45 p.m.: The Seahawks upset the Jets in the snow at Qwest Field today, 13-3. Fans are now standing outside of the field in the snow, waiting to catch the train.

SR 160 is closed in both directions at milepost 7 near the Southworth Ferry Terminal in Kitsap County due to snow accumulations. The road is impassable.

King County Metro Transit says they’ll operate about half their buses Monday.

The USO office at Sea-Tac International Airport is overwhelmed with stranded travelers and in need of supplies.

The city of Kirkland reports that hilly roadways, particularly those streets between Market Street and 1st Street, are closed. Kirkland City Hall and Municipal Court will be open Monday. The Peter Kirk Community Center and North Community Center are closed until further notice. Kirkland recreations classes and programs are cancelled for Monday.

3:30 p.m.: Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air have suspended all service to and from Seattle and Portland, Ore. due to severe weather.

3 p.m.: About 1,800 customers are without power in Sultan, Gold Bar and Arlington.

2:45 p.m.: The Bellevue School District has cancelled school for Monday.

All Kitsap County standard operations are closed for Monday. The Board of Commissioners' meeting for Monday night is rescheduled for Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. in the Board's chambers.

Garbage and recycling facilities at Ollala, Silverdale, Hansville, and Poulsbo, as well as the Olympic View Transfer Station are closed Sunday and Monday.

Collisions block two right lanes south of Spokane Street on Northbound I-5.

Grays Harbor PUD crews are responding to a reported outage impacting about 200 customers in the East Hoquiam area.

1:30 p.m.: The Bellevue School District hasn’t decided if there will be school tomorrow.

Reports are coming in of people skiing in Ballard.

Three severe weather shelters remain open through Monday in the city of Seattle. They’re located at City Hall, The Frye Hotel, and Seattle Center Pavilion B. Recycling and disposal stations in South Park and Fremont will be closed today, but are expected to reopen tomorrow. Single-family residential garbage, recycling, and yard waste collection is likely to be postponed for much of the city tomarrow. Storm emergency telephone numbers: (206) 684-3000 to report non-life threatening problems with power, water, sewer or drainage. The Call Center will be open 24 hours through Monday, Dec. 22. Food, shelter and other human services: 2-1-1. Landslides: 206-684-8950.  Downed trees or roadway obstructions (SDOT): 206-386-1218.

12:30 p.m.: Department of Transportation has reopened Interstate 90 over Snoqualmie Pass, with traction tires required.

11:00 a.m.: It’s estimated that I-90 over Snoqualmie Pass will reopen a noon. Reduced speeds and a traction advisory will be in effect.

Alaska Airlines has canceled about half its flights today to and from Portland, Ore., and Seattle due to severe winter weather. The airline canceled 61 Saturday flights and says more cancellations are possible.

All roads in Bellevue remain open, but drivers should use caution and watch for icy spots.

About 30 customers in Montesano remain without power.

The Museum of Flight is closed. The Redmond Town Center is open, but shops will close at 10 p.m.

9:24 a.m.: Another upcoming threat that looms from the accumulation of snow is collapsing roofs. Structures in the Pacific Northwest are not designed to withstand heavy snow and ice loads. Flat roofs are a major concern. Residents and business owners are advised to seek professional services to remove the snow and ice from roofs.

9:14 a.m.: Many Amtrak trains in and out of Seattle are canceled today. Call 1-800-USA-Rail or check amtrak.com for updates.

9:11 a.m.: Pacific Northwest Ballet's 1 p.m. matinee of "Nutcracker" has been canceled due to weather conditions. Patrons with tickets to this performance may exchange them to any other "Nutcracker" performance, or upcoming PNB performances of "Jewels," "Pinocchio," "Broadway Festival" or "Swan Lake." Box office phone lines will be busy today, so patrons are encouraged to wait to call the box office (206-441-2424) until AFTER their missed performance.

8:47 a.m.: Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium will be closed today due to weather conditions. Zoolights may reopen tonight.

8:43 a.m.: The winter weather knocked out power to about 2,300 Grays Harbor PUD customers overnight. Ice buildup on power lines in Ocean Shores and tree branches weighted down by snow striking power lines caused the outages. Power in Ocean Shores was restored at 7:55 a.m.

Crews are working to restore power to about 200 customers in the Strawberry Hill area of Elma. About 60 customers lost power at 1:30 a.m. and another outage at 7:30 a.m. increased the outage to about 200 customers. Power is expected to be restored by 9:30 a.m.

About 30 customers in Montesano area are without power. Crews expect to have the power restored by noon.

8:23 a.m.: On this busy shopping weekend, the Commons at Federal Way and Tacoma Mall opened at 8 a.m. Alderwood Mall plans on opening at 10 a.m. Bellevue Square is planning to open at 9 a.m. Some stores may not open if employees can't get in. We've got calls out to other area malls.

8:09 a.m.: Alaska Airlines expects to cancel up to half of their flights today. Other airlines are canceling scores of flights as well. Check with your airline before going to the airport. More details.

8:07 a.m.: The Seattle Public Library plans to open the Central Library downtown and the Ballard, Lake City, Columbia and West Seattle branches from noon to 5 p.m. today. There will be limited staff available. All other locations will be closed due to the weather.

7:59 a.m.: Thurston County's Waste and Recovery Center on Hogum Bay Road NE in the Hawks Prairie area is closed today due to snowy and icy conditions.

About 4,700 customers are without power in Thurston County. Tumwater is the hardest hit.

6:24 a.m.: King County Metro Transit will be operating approximately half of its normal bus service today. Please check online before you leave home to see if your bus route is operating and if it is on snow routing. Seahawks Shuttle service will be provided to Qwest Field from Eastgate Park-and-Ride in Bellevue, Northgate Park-and-Ride in North Seattle, and the South Kirkland Park-and-Ride, beginning at approximately 11 a.m. Fans should expect crowded conditions on the shuttles, and should give themselves plenty of time to get to the game because the buses may be delayed by road and traffic conditions.

5:55 a.m.: An estimated 10,000-12,000 people spent the night at Sea-Tac Airport.

In Seattle, Seattle City Light reports no power outages.

5:25 a.m.: Puget Sound Energy update: 1,373 customers are without power in Port Orchard; 1,082 in Olympia; 1,140 in Tumwater; 77 in Ravensdale; 705 in Snoqualmie; 143 in Langley; and 67 in Mount Vernon. There's a regularly updated outage map here.

5:22 a.m.: We're getting reports of flight cancelations out of Sea-Tac Airport. Check your flight before you go.

5:20 a.m.: Snohomish County PUD reports about 1,800 customers without power in the Sultan, Gold Bar and Arlington areas.

5:07 a.m.: Tanner Electric customers are without power in the North Bend due to a PSE transmission line failure. PSE will not be available for repairs until the morning. In the Ames Lake/Carnation area, power could be out all night. Some of an underground line has burned up. Multiple areas are still out in Redmond /Ames Lake.

4:36 a.m.: In Thurston County, power outages are reported near the intersection of Marvin Road NE and Quinault Drive NE in Lacey , as well as the west side of Olympia.

12:57 a.m., Sunday: At least 200 people are sledding and snowboarding on Capitol Hill's Denny Way in Seattle.

10:39 p.m.: Power outage reports: Snohomish County PUD reports 1,500 customers out in east Marysville and Arlington area. Power went out between 9 and 10 p.m. Wind and snow related. PSE has 3,000 without power in Snoqualmie and about 500 near Olympia.

10:21 p.m.: An undetermined number of incoming flights have been diverted from Sea-Tac to other airports.

9:21 p.m.: King County's Houghton Solid Waste Transfer Station in Kirkland will be closed at least through Sunday due to hazardous winter weather conditions. Other stations still plan to be open, but check before going.

9:08 p.m.: Washington state's Emergency Operations Center went to " phase III" alert to better deal with the snow storm.

Operations officials suggest people stay home tonight and, as conditions permit, Sunday. They also suggest people stay tuned to news for local information and weather reports.

8:43 p.m.: Based on the overnight forecast, Seahawks fans should expect areas of stadium seating to be icy, especially seats located in the south lower bowl, lower east charter seats and upper deck corners. Fans are encouraged to dress appropriately for an outdoor stadium and expect winter-like conditions.

7:23 p.m.: Two Pierce County shelters previously mentioned are on standby and are not currently open. They are Bethany Baptist Church in Puyallup and Puyallup Nazarene Church. The shelters that are open are:

The Chapel Hill Presbyterian Church, 7700 Skansie Blvd. in Gig Harbor
Buckley Community Center, 127 N. River Dr. in Buckley
Sunrise Baptist Church, 12115 Shaw Rd. E. in Puyallup
Key Peninsula Community Church, 17015 9th St. KPN in Lakebay
Key Peninsula Lutheran Church, 4213 Lackey Rd. in Lakebay

5:40 p.m.: The Seattle Symphony has cancelled its 8 p.m. performance of Handel’s Messiah due to weather conditions.

5:15 p.m.: Washington State Patrol is advising all motorists to remain at home, since most roadways in Pierce and Thurston counties are slick and covered with ice. Extra troopers are out this weekend, but WSP says troopers in Pierce and Thurston counties are only able to respond to blocking and injury collisions.

At a press conference, Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels said high winds are the biggest concern tonight. He said crews are standing by in case winds damage the power system.

A spokesperson for Sea-Tac Airport says the airport is getting dusted with snow, but it’s still operational. Travelers are urged to call their airline to check for any delays.

4:45 p.m.: The Thurston County Emergency Operations Center has been activated and county officials are standing by to provide the appropriate responses. 

The City of Seattle has activated its Emergency Operations Center and will provide regular updates on its storm response. At 5 p.m., Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels plans a press conference with representatives from the Seattle Department of Transportation and Seattle City Light to give the latest updates.

4:45 p.m.: Pierce Transit is operating in a snow emergency, and some service may be delayed, rerouted or cancelled.

4 p.m.: The Tacoma News Tribune reports that Alaska Airlines has preemptively cancelled 47 flights going to and from airports in Seattle, Tacoma and Vancouver BC.

An eighth emergency shelter is opening in Pierce County at the Chapel Hill Presbyterian church, located at 4814 Rosedale St. NW in Gig Harbor.

3 p.m.: Northwest Kidney Centers reports that all 13 of its dialysis centers are operating on schedule today. Patients who cannot get to a dialysis center must begin the "emergency diet" found on the NW kidney Center’s Web site: www.NWKidney.org.

2:30 p.m.: Here is more information on cold weather shelters in the area:  Bellevue is operating an emergency overnight shelter at Crossroads Community Center, 16000 NE 10th St., from 9:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. Two more shelters have opened in Puyallup, including one at the Bethany Baptist Church, 713 S. Hill Park Drive, and at the Puyallup Nazarene Church, 1026 7th Ave. SW. Three additional emergency shelters are opening in Pierce County, including one at the Buckley Community Center, 127 N. River Road. Another at the Edgewood Community Church, 1720 Meridian E. In Edgewood. And one at the Sunrise Baptist Church at 12115 Shaw Rd. E. in Puyallup.

According to the Associated Press, Puget Sound Energy reported the week's continued cold weather with below-freezing temperatures pushed PSE's customer natural gas usage to a new record high Friday. PSE's natural gas demand reached 780,000 million British thermal units, surpassing Monday's record of 4,906.

1:40 p.m.: Seattle University has postponed its men's basketball game with Linfield College of McMinnville, Ore., at the campus Connolly Center Saturday night. The game was tentatively rescheduled for the second week in January.

1:30 p.m. Saturday: The city of Bellevue is urging residents to stock up on supplies in preparation for tonight’s storm, which could cause power outages.  All arterials and primary neighborhood routes have been plowed and more than 40 percent of neighborhood streets and side streets have been cleared. Drivers are urged to use caution as up to 4 more inches of snow could fall over Bellevue this evening. Community centers are closed, including the Bellevue Botanical Garden and Garden d’Lights. Recreational programs are cancelled. The city is operating an overnight emergency shelter at the Crossroads Community Center, 16000 NE 10th St., from 9:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m.

11:30 a.m.: Pierce County executives have signed a declaration of emergency for this evening’s storm, which is expected to cause power outages. Residents are urged to prepare for possible power loss by gathering food and water and first aid kits.

Two emergency shelters in the Key Peninsula area will open at noon Saturday: The Key Peninsula Community Center on 17015 9th St. KPN in Lakebay, and the Key Peninsula Lutheran Church on 4213 Lackey Rd. in Lakebay.

9:49 a.m.: Seattle Parks and Recreation’s facilities, including community centers, pools, environmental learning centers, Amy Yee Tennis Center and Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center are open until 4 p.m. today, but all regular programming has been canceled.

Public golf courses, including Jackson Park, Interbay, West Seattle and Jefferson Park are closed for golf, but are open for sledding.

There is ice on Green Lake, but it will not bear weight, and is not safe to walk on.

9:21 a.m., Saturday: Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium and Zoolights in Tacoma will both be closed today due to weather conditions.

_________

5 p.m. Friday: The Seattle Seahawks game scheduled for Sunday will be played as scheduled at Qwest Field. Kickoff will be at 1:05 p.m. for the match against the New York Jets. Fans are encouraged to dress warmly. Team officials will be in contact with WSDOT and Seattle City Light throughout the game to relay information to fans.

4:00 p.m.: From the city of Olympia: With more winter weather coming our way, Washingtonians need to continue and step up their preparedness efforts today and through this weekend. "We can probably expect and are preparing for widespread power outages," stated Jim Mullen, director, Washington Emergency Management Division. "Coupling this with the continued cold temperatures, I urge everyone to make sure they're ready to go several days without power ."

3:45 p.m.: KREM 2 News Meteorologist Tom Sherry says a winter storm watch is in effect for Eastern Washington. A potential of 5-9 inches could fall beginning Saturday night into Sunday. At this point the watch primarily includes the southern portion of Spokane County; from I-90 south to the Oregon border.

Washington State Patrol says on Thursday in Pierce County, troopers handled more than 113 reported collisions and assisted more than 88 disabled motorists.  In Thurston Co., troopers handled more than 54 collisions and assisted roughly 45 disabled motorists. The majority of the incidents occurred between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. Troopers say they’re gearing up for the next snowfall by extending hours and adjusting schedules. 

3:00 p.m.: Fort Lewis will resume normal activity on the installation on Saturday, with normal manning for regularly scheduled weekend activities and services. Military personnel should continue to follow any updated instructions issued by their chain of command.

The city of Seattle plans to keep open severe weather overnight shelters at the Frye Hotel, City Hall and the Seattle Center through Monday.

The city says parks are open for winter recreation. Public golf courses are closed to golf, but open for sledding. The city recommends Discovery Park for sledding and Carkeek Park for cross-country skiing.

The city of Seattle says crews operating 20 plow and sanding trucks remain on 12-hour shifts and will continue working through the night. To report a problem area, call (206) 386-1218.

2:30 p.m.: Pierce Transit says it remains operating in a “snow emergency,” meaning some service may be delayed or rerouted. A list of routes affected by weather can be found at piercetransit.org, or by calling 253-581-8100. Passengers are urged to dress warmly and prepare for delays.

1:50 p.m.: King County has issued this advisory:  High winds forecast this weekend may lead to power outages in some parts of King County. Given the cold temperatures, Public Health advises all residents to take steps to stay safe and warm and especially to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.  "We can't predict which neighborhoods if any may lose power, so we want to encourage all residents of King County to have a plan about how to stay warm and safe during adverse weather," said Dr. David Fleming, Director and Health Officer for Public Health - Seattle & King County. "If possible today, stock up on supplies you may need during the weekend and think about how you will stay warm and safe during a possible outage."

The Seattle Center Winter Solstice Fire Festival is postponed to Jan. 10 and 11, 4:00 p.m. - 9 p.m. It was originally scheduled for Dec. 20 and Dec. 21 at Fisher Pavilion Lawn and International Fountain. The festival has been postponed because of expected high winds and snow.

1:45 p.m.: Mayor Greg Nickels plans to visit SDOT crews at 7:30 p.m. tonight to thank them for working round-the-clock to clear Seattle roads. He will also detail how the city is preparing for the next round of winter weather.

12:45 p.m.: Two tour buses have collided and one is hanging over Interstate 5. The accident happened near Denny Way in Seattle at about 12:30 p.m. Two lanes of northbound I-5 are closed. More details are here.

11:30 a.m.: Despite icy road conditions, Community Transit is operating all routes today. Buses may be slower or come less frequently. Check here for updates.

Burien City Hall and the Burien Community Center are closed

11 a.m.: An update from the city of Mercer Island:  The Community Center is scheduled to be open today from 9 am to 4 pm for drop-in use only. The schedule is subject to change based on weather conditions.  The Dec. 21 bonfire event provided by Mercer Island Parks and Recreation at Luther Burbank Park has been cancelled … Information will be made available on the City's website at www.mercergov.org.

An update from Shoreline:· Spartan Recreation Center: All classes are cancelled but the gym and weight room are open. Shoreline Pool: All classes are cancelled but the pool is open for swimming. Richmond Highlands Recreation Center: Facility is closed and all activities are cancelled.

Shoreline arterials are plowed and sanded.

10:30 a.m.: Here are the latest numbers on power outages: Snohomish County has about 1,500 without power scattered throughout the county, but mostly in Mukilteo, Smokey Point and Arlington. There is no estimate on when power will be restored. Seattle City Light has no outages. Tacoma has no outages. Grays Harbor has no outages.

The Associated Press just issued this report: “Friday is the calm before the next winter storm. The National Weather Service says a major system will slam Western Washington by late Saturday, bringing a severe windstorm to the Cascade foothills, freezing rain to south Puget Sound and heavy snowfall to the central coast. Meteorologist Andy Haner says the storm will be "wicked and dangerous" for eastern King County.”

The following King County government offices closed or modified their hours today in response to snow, ice and difficult road conditions:  King County Council, District Courts and Superior Court. The Department of Development and Environmental Services is closed today as the department begins its new Monday through Thursday work schedule. It is closed on Fridays. All Public Health Seattle-King Countysites outside of the Seattle downtown core will be delayed in opening until 10 a.m.  Jail Health, King County Medical Examiner's Office, and King County Medic One are all operating normally. If conditions change, updates will be posted online at:   http://www.kingcounty.gov/healthservices/health.aspx

9:45 a.m.: All runways are closed at Paine Field.

8:17 a.m.: Puget Sound Blood Center says Western Washington's blood supply will reach an emergency level within a matter of days. Blood drives have been cancelled the past two days due to snow, and more are expected the next couple days. The Blood Center urges people to make a blood donation at one of their donor centers. Call 1-800-398-7888 for more information.

7:48: Garbage collection update: All customers may set out twice the regular amount of garbage, recycling and/or yard waste - and will be accepted at no additional charge - on the next regularly scheduled collection day for each container.

7:40 a.m.: King County Metro says they've been getting a high volume of calls this morning, around 600 so far. Many callers have been getting busy signals because the hold queue is so long, but Metro officials say phones are still working.

7:00 a.m.: About 1,500 customers are without power in the Mukilteo area and in scattered areas around Arlington and Lake Goodwin, due to tree branches on power lines, according to Snohomish County PUD.

6:55 a.m.: Garbage collection service is suspended today in Seattle, as well as most of Snohomish County, East King County, North King County, Lake Forest Park and Kenmore. In South King County, Kent and SeaTac routes will not be picked up today or Saturday, but some "critical" commercial routes will be picked up, according to Allied Waste/Republic Services.

5:50 a.m.: In Bellevue, city community centers are closed, including the Bellevue Botanical Garden and Garden d'Lights, and all recreational programs.

It's also unlikely garbage will be picked up today. If your garbage, recycling or yard debris are not collected, take materials back inside. A double load of garbage, recycling and yard debris will be collected at no additional charge on the next regularly scheduled collection day (a week later).

Emergency Shelters - Bellevue is operating an emergency overnight shelter at Crossroads Community Center, 16000 NE 10th St., from 9:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. Crossorads will not be open until 9:30 p.m. City Hall is open until 5 p.m., and the public is welcome to come in to get warm.

5:02 a.m.: Pierce Transit service may be delayed or rerouted. See a list of affected routes at piercetransit.org or call a customer service representative at (253) 581-8000 for the latest information. Pierce Transit Shuttle riders can call (253) 581-8100. Passengers should dress warmly and be prepared for delays.

In King County, Metro Transit has a very long list of bus changes today. Check to see if your route is affected.

4:22 a.m.: Pierce County government offices are closed today because of hazardous road conditions resulting from Thursday's heavy snowfall. Only public safety and other essential staff will be working.

3:28 a.m.: The National Weather Service has issued a high wind watch for the east Puget Sound lowlands the western Strait of Juan de Fuca and the west slopes of the Cascades from Saturday morning through Sunday afternoon. A winter storm watch is in effect for the Western Washington lowlands from Puget Sound westward and for the Olympics for Saturday night through Sunday night.

2:40 a.m.: Sound Transit Express Route 565 will not serve the Federal Way Transit Center until further notice. Express Route 554 will not serve the following stops until further notice: Issaquah Highlands Park-and-Ride lot; Issaquah-Pine Lake Road at Issaquah Fall City Road; Issaquah-Pine Lake Road at SE 37th Pl; South Sammamish Park-and-Ride lot.

1:55 a.m.: Many road closures and travel problems will greet morning commuters. See our traffic updates page for details.

1:40 a.m., Friday: City of Redmond closures: City parks and recreation faciliites, Farrel McWhirter Preschool and athletic fields. City Hall is anticipated to open at 10:30 a.m., but check before going.

Thursday updates

9:40 p.m.: PUD confirms that there are still some scattered power outages primarily in Arlington and Stanwood, affecting about 1,000 customers.

6:31 p.m.: Fort Lewis will continue curtailed operations on Friday, with only mission essential and critical personnel reporting for duty.

5:21 p.m.: Update for shoppers: Southcenter Mall now says it will close at 6 p.m.

4:36 p.m.: Update on the sledding accident in Kent. The victim is a teenager. Deputies say the teen was being pulled behind a car when the sled when into the bumper of a parked minivan. The teen has cuts, bruises and a possible concussion. One person could be seen being handcuffed, but it's not immediately clear who that person is.

4:35 p.m.: KING5.com producer John Goff says there is a little street party going on at Union and 18th in Seattle where a road is closed. People are sledding down the hill. About 40-50 people are gathered in the snow having fun.

3:31 p.m.: ATTENTION SHOPPERS: Bellevue Square will close around 7:30 p.m. Some stores have already closed. Snowflake Lane will be going on and theaters will be open. Tacoma Mall plans to stay open until 10 p.m., as does Southcenter Mall.

3:30 p.m.: King County Animal Care and Control is limiting where and how quickly it can respond to animal-related calls out in the field. They are asking the public to only call or e-mail King County Animal Care and Control if they have a priority call, which is defined as a person or animal being attacked or severely bitten by an animal, an injured animal, or calls about animals being left outside exposed to the elements and without protection, fresh water and food.

King County Animal Care and Control shelters located in Kent and Bellevue (Crossroads) were open for business today and will be open regular hours tomorrow, weather permitting. The Animal Care and Control Call Center (206-296-PETS) closed at 3 p.m. today. The recorded message at 206-296-PETS informs callers with emergencies to contact 9-1-1 directly.

The holiday adoption event at Kent Station scheduled for noon-4 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 20, has been cancelled.

3:09 p.m.: In Snohomish County, 2,400 customers are without power, mostly in the Arlington and north Snohomish area. Lots of heavy limbs into lines are causing these outages. There is no estimate on when power will be restored. 

3:02 p.m.: A Seattle Public Schools hearing scheduled for tonight on a proposal to close the Lowell Elementary building, has been postponed.

2:50 p.m.: All recreation programs at the City of Issaquah are cancelled today. Issaquah Municipal Court closed at noon, but is expected to reopen tomorrow at 8:30 a.m. The court's phone number is 425-837-3170.

Waste Management and Allied Waste have cancelled their service to Issaquah today. A double load will be collected at no extra cost on the next regular collection day.

2:45 p.m.: A child has been injured in a sledding accident in Kent. The youth was being towed behind another vehicle, police say.

2:40 p.m.: In reports from homeless program providers, the homeless in the downtown Tacoma and metro area have several different options. The Tacoma Rescue Mission and the Martin Luther King Jr. Shelter, when alerted by a severe weather notification, open their places 24/7, and won't turn anyone away. Families who are homeless can go to one of five provider locations during the day, including the South Sound Outreach Services, and get vouchers for motel rooms. Tacoma Rescue Mission provides the vouchers for families at night. All of the vouchers are provided from a fund administered by Associated Ministries.

In Puyallup and the East Pierce County area, there are two options. For singles who are homeless, there is a program called "Freezing Nights" where several churches take turns each evening housing those that are trying to get out of the weather. They must go to the Puyallup Police Dept. and will be taken from there to the hosting church. The other program, "Open Hearths Ministry" helps families by giving them vouchers for motels.

Anyone who would like to donate blankets, coats, jackets, hats, gloves and other warm clothes can drop off the items at the Associated Ministries who distributes the goods between the homeless shelters. The Associated Ministries office is located at 1224 S. "I" St. in Tacoma.

2:21 p.m.: The U.S. Postal Service is suggesting people clear away snow and ice from their walkways and stairs, so the mail can get through. Letter carriers make every effort to deliver the mail, but they must use good judgment and not risk personal injury posed by hazardous conditions such as climbing or descending icy stairways. Even if you're not motivated to do this to get the mail, it'll probably be helpful for anyone else coming to your house as well.

2:17 p.m.: Snohomish PUD says they still have an undetermined number of scattered outages working in the Arlington area. They’ll have a complete report later this afternoon.

1:56 p.m.: More road closures and travel problems are being reported. See our traffic updates page for more details.

More Seattle hotel deals: There is now a "snow day rate" starting at $99 at the Hotel Vintage Park and the Monaco and $109 at the Alexis. For reservations, call 1-800-KIMPTON and ask for the SNO rate. There's even a complimentary wine hour from 5-6 p.m. if you're trying to convince yourself not to drive home tonight.

1:53 p.m.: The Salvation Army's cold weather shelter in Everett, 2525 Rucker Ave., will reopen tonight, taking in guests from 8:30-10 p.m. The shelter will close at 7 a.m., Friday. Decisions on whether the shelter will re-open after that will be posted at everettsarmy.org .

1:52 p.m.: All King County Library System libraries are closing at 3 p.m. today.

1:30 p.m.: Community Transit's Website is down. Staff are working to restore service, as the site is updated regularly with weather-related reroutes and major service delays.

Buses on some routes may come only once per hour due to hazardous road conditions. All buses are chained now, so they are limited to 25 mph. Continuing reroutes on Community Transit Routes 120/121, 131, 230, 240, 271, 275, 870.

Sound Transit Route 535 serving flyer stop at 195th and 405. Sound Transit Route 510 may not be serving stops north of Everett Station.

Throughout Snohomish County, all traffic is expected to be slow, which will cause delays. Please dress warmly. If your stop is on a hill and roads are snowy or icy, please wait at the top or bottom of the hill and flag down your bus driver. Also, the "kneeler," the feature that lowers the front of the bus to allow for easier boarding and deboarding, cannot be used in very cold weather.

1:00 p.m.: In order to safely transport as many passengers as possible, King County Metro Transit will be focusing on core service on major routes for the afternoon commute and the rest of Thursday. Due to deteriorating travel conditions, Metro will cancel or severely reduce service on many of its bus routes this afternoon and evening.

The developing plan is to provide bus service on cleared highways and arterial roads, and to major transit centers and park-and-ride lots. This transit plan will continue until weather and road conditions improve, which means almost all bus service will be significantly limited.

12:54 p.m.: Several Seattle hotels are offering special snow rates for people who'd rather stay put than try to get home tonight. Check directly with hotels for special snow rates, conditions and availability. Here are three of the higher-end hotels with specials: Sheraton Seattle, (206) 621-9000; Fairmont Olympic, (206) 621-1700; and Hotel Andra, (206) 448-8600,

12:39 p.m.: In Bellevue, city community centers are closed, including the Bellevue Botanical Garden and Garden d'Lights, and all recreational programs. Emergency Shelters - Bellevue is operating an emergency overnight shelter at Crossroads Community Center, 16000 NE 10th St., from 9:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. Crossorads will not be open until 9:30 p.m. City Hall is open until 5 p.m., and the public is welcome to come in to get warm.

12:30 p.m.: Today's 2 and 7:30 p.m. Nutcracker performances are ON as scheduled at McCaw Hall. They are experiencing a high volume of calls, with limited phone service. Patrons unable to attend due to weather may exchange their tickets after they have missed their performance. Please contact the PNB Box Office only after your performance has passed to make arrangements. Tickets will be exchanged into four performances (Dec. 28 & 29 at 1 and 5:30 p.m.) with no fee, and a $5 per ticket fee for other performances.

12:01 p.m.: Sound Transit's site, soundtransit.org, appears to be experiencing high traffic volumes. If you can't reach the schedule page, northbound trains leave Seattle roughly every half-hour from 4-6:40 p.m. Southbound, they leave starting at about 3:30 p.m. until 6:45 p.m.

11:55 a.m.: Metro Transit warns afternoon bus service will be significantly limited during the afternoon commute, with the focus being on core service until weather and road conditions improve. Currently, Metro is unable to operate on many hilly and slick roads, and service to West Seattle and Redmond has been a problem all day due to closed roads. Information about bus status is available on Metro's Ice and Snow page.

You can also call Metro at (206) 553-3000, but call volumes are high and there may be a wait to talk to a representative.

11:32 a.m.: We have no reports of major power outages. There is one very small outage affecting 13 customers in Seattle, but it is not weather-related, according to Seattle City Light. A transformer went out in the Northeast 60th Street area. Power is estimated to be restored by 2 p.m.

11:28 a.m.: Bellevue is operating an emergency overnight shelter at Crossroads Community Center, 16000 NE 10th St., from 9:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. More details. 

If your garbage, recycling or yard debris are not collected in Bellevue, take materials back inside. A double load of garbage, recycling and yard debris will be collected at no additional charge on the next regularly scheduled collection day next week. Excess materials due to missed collection can be put in a temporary container, such as a box or paper bag marked "Garbage," "Recycling" or "Yard Debris.” If you have questions concerning your collection, call Allied Waste's customer service at (425) 452-4762.

11:19 a.m.: Single-family residential garbage, yard waste and recycling collection has been delayed in Seattle until Friday due dangerous road conditions. Most business and apartment services will be collected on schedule. City collection contractors will attempt to reach missed customers Friday if road conditions improve. Customers missed today should leave their containers out Friday. If materials are not collected Friday, then customers should bring in their containers until their regular collection day next week. Friday collections will also be postponed one day to Saturday.

In Kirkland, garbage service is cancelled today. North Kirkland Community Center is open with limited staff. The Thursday Downtown Action Committee meeting and the Kirkland Downtown Association community meeting about the temporary relocation of the Wednesday Market are cancelled. Kirkland Municipal Court is closed. City recreation progams and classes are cancelled. City hall is open with limited staffing, however.

In Redmond, Waste Management has cancelled garbage and recycling collection today. Since next Thursday is a holiday, materials will be picked up Friday, Dec. 26. Redmond City Hall is closed, as are parks facilities.

11:10 a.m.: The Sounder commuter train is operating as scheduled today. For commuters who made it to work today, Sounder officials are asking you to consider taking the train to make your way back home this evening and avoid treacherous road conditions. See soundtransit.org/ for the schedule.

10:50 a.m.: KING 5 News coverage will continue from 11 a.m. to noon. See the live stream link on the home page.

10:39 a.m.: We're moving traffic-specific updates to a new page to simplify your ability to get the information you need. Here's the link.

10:20 a.m.: The Salvation Army's annual Toy 'N' Joy event is open as planned at Qwest Exhibition Center in Seattle. Nearly 3,000 clients are expected between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. Families who registered and are scheduled for appointments today are encouraged to come as safety allows. Most buses to downtown are in operation on snow routes. If clients cannot make their appointments today, distribution will continue Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Anyone signed up to volunteer and can safely drive is also encouraged to come assist the families.

10:15 a.m.: Denny has been closed in downtown Seattle.

10:10 a.m.: SR 520 remains closed in both directions in Redmond. Northbound I- 405 from the Renton S curve is very slow. The worst trouble on I-405 is in Newcastle, where there are abandoned vehicles, abandoned tanker trucks and accidents.

10:05 a.m.: Westbound SR 520 remains closed due to multiple spin-outs and dangerous driving conditions. The closure begins at the Union Hill on-ramp to westbound SR 520 to West Lake Sammamish Parkway. The following ramps to westbound SR 520 are closed: SR 202, Union Hill and West Lake Sammamish Parkway.

10:00 a.m.: KING 5 reporter Gary Chittim reports from the intersection of Redmond Way and West Lake Sammamish Way, where snow is coming down hard. He says police have sealed off the top of Redmond Way. Vehicles are making their way down, but they’re not allowing anyone up. “If they try, they encounter all kinds of problems,” Chittim said.

9:45 a.m.: SkyKING shows multiple cars off the road at the Columbia way off-ramp in Seattle.

Video from Olympia shows I-5 is bare and wet through Olympia.

Northbound I-5 at Northeast 44th Street is a parking lot.

9:30 a.m.: WSDOT reports 5.8 million page views to its Web site yesterday. Normal usage is 800,000 page views a day. It’s estimated 300,000 people came to their site. (via WSDOT Twitter page)

9:15 a.m.: School is cancelled in the Renton School District.

9:10 a.m.: - Single-family residential garbage, yard waste and recycling collection has been delayed in Seattle for today due to dangerous road conditions. Most business and apartment services will be collected on schedule.  City collection contractors will attempt to service missed customers Friday, if road conditions improve.

9:00 a.m.: The King County Roads Division reports that Novelty Hill Road near Redmond and 196th Ave. SE off of Maple Valley Highway (SR-169) near Renton have been temporarily closed so crews can plow and sand the roadways. Metro Transit is unable to operate on many hilly and slick roads, and is significantly delayed everywhere by both the weather and traffic conditions.  Information about bus status is available online, but conditions are changing rapidly.

Due to inclement weather, the Kirkland Municipal Court is closed today and City recreation programs and classes are cancelled. Court cases scheduled for today, in-custody matters, and all probation appointments will be rescheduled. City Hall is open for business with limited staff.  North Kirkland Community Center and Peter Kirk Community Center are closed.

8:55 a.m.: Traffic on SR 599 is stop and go, with slush on the roadway. I-405 at Sunset Blvd is blanketed in snow. No one is moving. Redmond Police have responded to several automobile collisions caused by snow and ice conditions on the roads while several citizens have reported unsafe conditions. Roads are being closed as needed while Public Works continues to work on the conditions and as they are reported to police. Many of the roads are on hills and in the Rose Hill area.

8:50 a.m.: The Kitsap County courthouse and county offices are closed for the day due to weather.

The City of Bothell has reopened 228th Street from 4th Avenue SE to 4th Avenue West, but drivers are encouraged to avoid this area. Additionally, all City of Bothell Municipal Court contested hearings are cancelled today. For other court information, call 425.487.5587. The following City of Bothell roads remain closed: NE 180th Street from 92nd Avenue NE to SR 522, Brickyard Road from East Riverside Drive to 121st Avenue NE.

8:45 a.m.: Due to the snow, branch libraries of The Seattle Public Library will open at noon, two hours later than normal. The Central Library in downtown Seattle will open as scheduled at 10 a.m.

8:30 a.m.: Multiple lanes in both directions of SR 520 just west of Marymoor Park near Redmond remain blocked due to multiple spin-outs. WSDOT Incident Response is on scene. Drivers are advised to avoid the area.

Several collisions have caused the closure of US 101 in Port Angeles near Lake Sutherland Road in Port Angeles.

From SDOT: The full force of SDOT trucks have been out treating the in-bound major arterials since 3:30 this morning. Earlier the snow fell heaviest south of the city and into downtown, but is now increasing in the north end. An accident has been blocking the eastbound on-ramp to the high-level West Seattle Bridge; however the westbound lanes are open.

Traffic is at a crawl at 509 northbound from Burien.

7:53 a.m.: KING 5 Morning News will continue broadcasting until 10 a.m., switching from KONG 6/16 at 9 a.m. back to KING 5.

7:51 a.m.: Several spinouts on I-5 in the Olympia and Lacey. Several accidents are reported at points further south including at mileposts 91 and 96 near the Scatter Creek rest area. State Route 160 at State Route 16 has been closed due to hazardous conditions.

7:35 a.m.: Frye Art Museum in Seattle is closed, but is scheduled to re-open Friday at 10 a.m., unless weather conditions do not improve. See fryemuseum.org for updated info.

7:34 a.m.: All trips so far today for Sounder are on time.

7:33 a.m.: A bus/semi collision has blocked at least one direction on the West Seattle Bridge. The Washington State Patrol is advising people to stay away from the bridge. On I-5 at Boeing Field, a group of semi trucks unable make it up a hill there are stopped on the right side of the freeway, blocking at least one northbound lane. There is no traffic on Northbound I-405 just south of Bellevue, which appears to mean there is an accident blocking all lanes. Traffic is backed up nine miles to the Maple Valley Highway interchange.

7:32 a.m.: Rich Marriot says the convergence zone sitting over Seattle and the Eastside won't let up until about 9 or 10 a.m. today.

7:26 a.m.: Community Transit bus service in Snohomish County is operating with several reroutes. Buses on some routes may come only once per hour due to hazardous road conditions. All buses are chained now, so they are limited 25 mph, which will slow service. For more information, go to www.communitytransit.org.

7:24 a.m.: The West Seattle Bridge is closed in at least one direction due to an accident.

7:22 a.m.: Bellevue is asking people to stay off of the roads in Bellevue. Near white-out conditions early this morning have brought 3 to 4 inches of snow throughout the city. Crews are working to clear emergency routes and primary arterials routes before the forecasted hard freeze settles in and turns the snow to ice.

7:22 a.m.: State highway update - The northbound I-5 backup into Seattle is about eight miles long. "It will take some time to clear it out," says Kris Olsen with the state DOT, but it could take most of the morning. "People who have not left yet, who are thinking about it, I would advise them to think twice." Multiple lanes in both directions of SR 520, just west of Marymoor Park near Redmond remain blocked due to multiple spin-outs. WSDOT Incident Response is on scene. Drivers are advised to avoid the area.

7:05 a.m.: Sea-Tac Airport reports no weather-related delays.

6:55 a.m.: Everett Senior Activity Center, 3025 Lombard, is closed today.

6:52 a.m.: In Everett, the Forest Park Swim Center is closed this morning. Staff will re-evaluate by 11 a.m. to determine whether to remain closed. Kasch Park Ballfields are closed all day.Pooh and Friends Preschool at Forest Park and all preschool programs canceled. All morning recreation programs are cancelled. Staff will evaluate by 11 a.m. to determine if the afternoon and evening programs will also be canceled. High likelihood that afternoon and evening classes will also be canceled. Both city golf courses, Legion Memorial and Walter E. Hall, remain closed all day. They will very likely be closed all week if the temperatures remain at or below freezing.

6:48 a.m.: Pierce Transit is operating, but some service may be delayed or rerouted. A list of routes affected by the severe weather can be found at piercetransit.org . Riders can also call 253-984-8155 or talk to a customer service representative at 253-581-8000 for the latest information. Pierce Transit SHUTTLE riders can call 253-581-8100 for the latest route and service information. Service on all routes may be running slower than usual due to road and weather conditions. Service may return to regular routing on a route-by-route basis as conditions allow.

6:45 a.m.: Auburn's Street Crews began sanding/plowing and de-icing efforts beginning at approximately 12:30 a.m. with priorities to Auburn's hillside areas (Lakeland Hills, Lea Hill and West Hill.) All major arterials and snow routes are clear at this time.

6:43 a.m.: All lanes of the ramp from southbound US 101 to northbound I-5 are open to traffic. Earlier, a jack-knifed semi blocked the right lane of the ramp.

6:42 a.m.: Two Metro buses are stuck on the westbound onramp to SR 520 at West Lake Sammamish Parkway. A Metro bus driver interviewed on KING 5 News said he couldn't get up the ramp. "The chains don't work because there's just too much snow and slush underneath, so it's really slippery." The passengers have gotten off the bus and were moved to another bus on a different route.

6:40 a.m.: Meteorologist Rich Marriott expects the convergence zone snow over central Puget Sound to let up in an "hour or two." By noon, he expects only lingering snow, followed by flurries after 5 p.m.

6:37 a.m.: Northbound I-405 is backed up from south of the Kennydale area (where it's not snowing currently) to at least I-90, where it is snowing heavily. Traffic eases up in south Bellevue. SR 520 at West Lake Sammamish Parkway is at a standstill in both directions.

6:27 a.m.: Curt Boyle with the Washington State Patrol says he's seen about a half inch of snow accumulate in Eastgate in 10 minutes. Lots of stuck vehicles and semi-trucks. Anyone venturing out should have a full tank of gas in their vehicles, warm clothes with boots and snow clothes if they have to walk. If you get stuck on the freeway, don't abandon your vehicle, he says.

6:24 a.m.: More King County school closures announced.

6:16 a.m.: Several disabled vehicles and at least one accident has slowed northbound I-5 from the West Seattle Bridge in downtown Seattle, to Sea-Tac. On the north end, it's a much different story, with traffic moving smoothly in the Everett area to about Seattle's Northgate area where more snow is falling.

6:12 a.m.: Issaquah School district announces it is closing. See all school closures here.

6:10 a.m.: WSDOT's Patrick Conrad says "we have very tough road conditions" on 520 in both directions, not just at Lake Sammamish Parkway. Snow on I-405 and SR 522. "We're really encouraging drivers to take their time if they have to venture out today."

6:09 a.m.: There's at least 10 inches of snow in Stanwood, according to reporter Jane McCarthy.

6:01 a.m.: Northbound traffic on I-405 is virtually at a standstill into Bellevue. Traffic is backed up to Newcastle.

5:51 a.m.: I-5 and I-405 northbound are very slow. SR 520 is now backed up all the way into Redmond.

5:48 a.m.: Waste Management Sno-King has cancelled all services on the Eastside today, commercial and residential. That includes Bothell, Woodinville, Kirkland, Redmond, Sammamish, and Issaquah. Commercial will be picked up ASAP, and residential services will have a double load next week at no additional charge.

5:40 a.m.: Seattle School District is closed. See all school closures here. Most districts have a delay or have announced a closure.

5:37 a.m.: Vehicles unable to move on the snow/ice or an accident has snarled westbound State Route 520 at West Lake Sammamish Parkway.

5:34 a.m.: Thunder interrupted Rich Marriott's weather forecast. We saw another flash at 5:37 a.m. on the DOT cam at State Route 520 and West Lake Sammamish Parkway.

4:45 a.m.: A jack-knifed semi blocks the right lane of the ramp from southbound US 101 to northbound I-5.