Cold weather moves in: Beware of slick roads



SEATTLE -- Winter weather has arrived and Wednesday night into early Thursday morning is expected to be the coldest of the season.

"The forecast for the city is freezing temperatures citywide,” Seattle Department of Transportation spokesman Rick Sheridan said.

With that in mind, the SDOT and the Washington State Department of Transportation in Western Washington are gearing up and preparing for the possibility of slick roads during the morning commute.

Flusher trucks filled with salt brine will be out all night, as needed, treating viaducts, bridges and other elevated structures.

Still drivers must do their part.

"Drivers need to know that they should drive more cautiously and potentially be prepared for black ice, but we'll be out treating those roads to make sure icing doesn't occur,” Sheridan said.

For drivers, doing their part also means preparing your car for the coming weather.

"This is the busiest month we've had in a very long time,” said Larry Mark, owner of Elliott Tire and Service in West Seattle.

Business is booming as customers rush to beat the weather, and Larry has a checklist.

"Well, we got to make sure everything is ready to go. Coolant, of course, has to be prepared, brakes need to be ready, tires, especially tire pressure and plenty of tread,” Mark said.

Also make sure you keep a supply of water, food and blankets in the car, just in case you get stranded.

Finally, whether you drive or not, your home needs to be winterized as well and a little preparation now will go a long way to prevent frozen, busted water pipes later.

David Garcia is a plumber with Best Plumbing in Seattle.

He knows how bad frozen pipes can be and exactly what you need to do to prevent them.

"Leave the water going just a little bit, just kind of dripping just a little bit, just enough to move the water and prevent from freezing,” Garcia said.

As for outside faucets, turn them off from the inside if possible.

If not, cover them up.

"We recommend you have a foam cover just to prevent the water from freezing and burst the pipes,” Garcia said.

SDOT says while they don’t expect a lot of ice, drivers need to be prepared for it and drive accordingly.