Snow Event - Week of December 19, 2022

Published on December 19, 2022

Kirkland snow plow on Juanita Drive

Update Dec 27, 2022 at 4:00 p.m.

As of Saturday, December 24 winter weather response crews have returned to normal operation hours and scheduled standby coverage. City facilities are open and programs have resumed as scheduled. 

We want to take a moment to give some gratitude to the hardworking crews supporting the City’s winter response who operated the City’s 12 snow plows, laid 192 tons of salt and over 12,000 gallons of deicer, and worked 24 hour operations.

Thank you to our Public Works crew and support staff, Parks Maintenance crew, and Fleets Division for your hard work, dedicated effort, and humble service that helped get us all through the winter weather event.  

Per our Snow Response Plan, our crews focused first on the “lifeline” routes in and around Evergreen Hospital, some fire stations, the Kirkland Justice Center, and freeway interchanges in the Totem Lake area. For more information on the City's snow response, visit www.kirklandwa.gov/snow.

Please continue to stay informed of upcoming weather. For flooding preparedness, visit the City's Office of Emergency Management flooding webpage


Originally published December 19 and updated periodically over the last week:

With subfreezing temperatures and significant snow in the forecast, stay up to date on information and prepare for weather conditions. 

Current conditions and closures will be posted here as they become available.  

City crews are responding to the winter weather impact on our community. Here are some tips to help you and our community stay safe this season: 

  • Streets are plowed based on priority maps. For snow plow routes, safety tips and more snow response information, go to www.kirklandwa.gov/snow.
  • Property owners are responsible for shoveling snow from their driveways and adjacent sidewalks. Some tips: push don't lift, wear breathable clothes, wear warm boots, and drink water. Consider checking in with neighbors who may have challenges clearing their sidewalks.
  • If you can safely do so, please clear your storm drain grates of snow, ice, and other debris so the water can flow uninterrupted. Where are your neighborhood storm drains located? Visit Kirkland Maps. In the operational layers, turn on “Utilities, Storm System, Catch Basins.”
  • To report a non-emergency issue, please use Our Kirkland
  • For cold weather shelters available in King County, visit the King County Regional Homelessness Authority
  • Stay up to date of WM service alerts and delays at https://servicealerts.wmnorthwest.com/kirkland/.
  • To check current road conditions in and around Kirkland, check our 30 real-time traffic cameras to know before you go. Visit: https://trafficmap.kirklandwa.gov 
  • Know your water district. With freezing temperatures, water pipes are at risk. Know your water servicer and have contact information handy. Visit our water webpage for more info. 
  • Stay informed of road conditions from WSDOT, weather warnings from National Weather Service Seattle, and the latest news on the City's Twitter and Facebook pages. 

Please remember, when a winter storm comes, we’re all in it together. Because City resources can’t reach all locations or respond to every situation, our whole community needs to pitch in and take responsibility to help keep our neighbors safe during winter storms.