Snow report: 5.5 inches in Federal Way; schools stay closed

Mirror staff reports:

The National Weather Service reports that Federal Way received up to 5.5 inches of snow by mid-afternoon Wednesday. Seattle saw between 2 to 5 inches, while the Tacoma area saw between 4 and 8 inches. At least 14 inches of snow hit the Olympia area.

Federal Way Public Schools will be closed Thursday. All schools, classes and after-school activities in the school district were cancelled Tuesday and Wednesday due to the massive snowfall that blanketed the region. For the latest information on school closures, visit www.fwps.org.

The National Weather Service reports that "a wet and active weather pattern is in place for Western Washington for the next week." The report also warns of potential flooding this weekend, especially for Southwest Washington, caused by melting snow and runoff into rivers.

Temperatures in the Federal Way area are expected to reach a high of 36 degrees Thursday and 41 degrees Friday before approaching the mid-40s this weekend. Rain is also in the forecast for Friday.

The Federal Way Community Center is available as a "warming center" for residents during normal hours from Thursday until further notice. The center is located at 876 S. 333rd St. Call (253) 835-6900.

Citizens may report problems or inquire about street conditions by calling (253) 835-2700 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. The after-hour message center at (800) 400-0749 handles calls between 5 p.m. and 8 a.m. and on weekends. Calls to the message center will be routed to on-call staff and responded to, according to priority level. The city does not maintain private streets, parking lots or driveways. To see a map of Federal Way's snow plow routes, click here.

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