SDOT's Winter Response Plan

During a severe storm, our crews work around the clock to clear Seattle’s most critical streets for buses and emergency services. Our goal is to keep Seattle moving safely. Learn more about our readiness and response plan.

Prepare

We prepare for winter storms all year long.

We prepare & train.  In the summer and fall, we prepare, calibrate equipment, coordinate with agency partners, and train staff.	We maintain.  We remove fallen trees from roads and repair signs and signals when high winds or heavy rain are forecasted.	We stock supplies.  We stock supplies of granular salt and salt brine so we’re ready to pre-treat key streets and bridges to prevent ice from forming.

Monitor

• We monitor reports 24-hours a day with a direct line to the National Weather Service and live Doppler radar feeds.
• We learn how storms could affect neighborhoods using a forecasting tool developed with the University of Washington called SNOWWATCH.
• Ground surface sensors and computerized sensors located on city bridges provide timely and accurate air and roadway surface temperatures. We use real-time, live-streaming cameras to see acutal conditions on key streets.