Update: Sammamish City Hall Warming Shelter Open Until Midnight

Update: Sammamish City Hall will remain open until midnight tonight, Jan. 19, as a warming and cell phone charging station. For emergencies, call 911. For all non-emergencies, call 425-295-0500. The city said it will be manning this phone line throughout the night.

Original story:

Widespread power outages are being reported in Sammamish and throughout the Puget Sound region, and an ice storm warning is in effect through this afternoon. A state of emergency has been declared by Gov. Gregoire. An ice storm warning is also still in effect.

A dangerous combination of freezing temperatures and falling rain is making roads in Sammamish and the region quite treacherous this Thursday. For those drivers who must go out, please use extreme caution as road surfaces vary from place to place.

For information on road closures, please check the WSDOT traffic alerts page. 

CITY HALL IS OPEN: If you lack power and need to warm up, City Hall is open as a daytime warming shelter. Light refreshments will be available, along with places to charge your cell phone and do other things that require power. City Hall is operating on a backup generator.

• To see the city's snow and ice route map, click on this link: www.ci.sammamish.wa.us/files/document/8320.pdf
• To report a power outage, call PSE at 1-888-225-5773 (select menu option 2)

The National Weather Service forecast:

This Afternoon: A chance of rain before 4pm, then snow likely. Snow level 500 feet. Cloudy, with a high near 37. North wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Total daytime snow accumulation of around an inch possible. 

Tonight: Snow likely before 10pm, then rain likely. Snow level rising to 800 feet. Cloudy, with a low around 33. East wind around 6 mph becoming south southwest. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Little or no snow accumulation expected. 

Friday: Rain. High near 47. South wind around 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Friday Night: Rain. Low around 41. South southeast wind around 14 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.

Saturday: Rain. High near 45. South southwest wind between 9 and 16 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Saturday Night: Rain. Low around 38. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Sunday: A 50 percent chance of rain. Cloudy, with a high near 42.