Snow in Maple Leaf, 15th Ave. icy, Roosevelt dicey, schools close early, parks too

Noon update:

Fifth Avenue Northeast is good to go, as is Northeast Northgate Way – unlike two years ago, when we were skidding through foot-high drifts in the middle of Northgate while listening on the car radio to then-Mayor Greg Nickels assure us that “every arterial in the city is clean and bare.”

Roosevelt Way Northeast and 15th Avenue Northeast are now in much better shape, with cars traveling (unwisely) at the speed limit. Some side streets are still icy.

Total snow at the official Maple Leaf Life snow-measuring car is now 2 inches. Wind storm still expected this afternoon.

Seattle Parks and Recreation is closing down at 6 p.m.:

• All community center programs scheduled after 6 p.m. are canceled.

• All pool programs scheduled after 6 p.m. are canceled.

• Pools and community centers will be open for drop-in use until their regularly scheduled closing times: http://www.seattle.gov/parks/centers.asp and http://www.seattle.gov/parks/pools.asp.

• All athletic fields are closed. All evening recreation programs are canceled.

• Golf courses are closed but not open for sledding because there is not enough snow.

School update 10:52 a.m.:

Since weather conditions are predicted to continue to change throughout the day and additional snow is expected, we have decided to end all Seattle Public Schools activities as of 12:35 p.m. today.

That means:

1.    Middle school and high school students will be dismissed at 12:35 p.m. as announced early this morning.

2.    No parent-teacher conferences will be held at elementary and K-8 schools after 12:35 p.m.

3.    No after-school or evening activities.

4.    Tonight’s Student Assignment Transition Plan Northwest region meeting at Ingraham High School tonight has been canceled.

We will monitor conditions closely overnight and make a decision by 5:30 a.m. tomorrow morning about operations for Tuesday.

From personal experience this morning (it’s now 8:45) Lake City Way is bare and wet – and moving nice and safely slow.

But 15th Avenue Northeast is icy. Cars there are moving less than 20 mph, and for good reason – their ABS brakes keep slamming on.

Roosevelt Way Northeast is a little less icy, but still dangerous.

Side streets are icy.

Here’s the snow total as measured atop the official Maple Leaf Life snow-measuring car. (Need to get a Maple Leaf Ace Hardware ruler.)

Seattle Public Schools is closing middle and high schools early today, at 12:35 p.m., because of possible snow accumulation. Elementary and K-8 schools are closed this week due to parent-teacher conferences, which will go on as scheduled.