Two Hour Delay for Orting Schools

Orting Schools are on a two hour late start with no morning kindergarten, no ECAP and no breakfast for Monday morning, November 22nd.

According to school officials, further scheduling changes will be addressed Monday morning once the impact of the weather system that moved into our area earlier this weekend can be fully addressed.

Throughout the Orting Valley snow accumulations of 1" to 3" were reported to Orting News.  Overnight lows were in the upper 20s and roads are slick and icy.  A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for our area through 7:00pm this evening.

Accumulations of up to 3 inches of new snow is likely during the day for Monday, with locally higher amounts in those areas closest to the Cascade Range.  North winds will increase to 20 to 30 miles per hour, with local gusts near 40 MPH Monday afternoon, persisting through Monday evening.  The combination of the wind and temperatures near freezing will make for wind chill factors in the teens.

All county arterials and lifeline routes were treated with salt and sand, and 90% report bare and wet pavements. Residential roads and secondary collectors will likely be icy throughout the morning commute period.  Rural state highways and city roads that haven’t been treated will also be slick. Once drivers get to the primary county roads and state freeways, they should have a decent commute. Commuters are advised to give themselves a little extra time for the drive in this morning, depending on where they are coming from.

Temperatures  are forecast to stay near the freezing level all day today. The region may get another one to four inches of new snow, maybe more in east county, then bitter cold through Wednesday morning. County road crews are paying close attention to the threat of winds this afternoon. This could bring the potential for widespread tree damage and power outages.

The National Weather Service reports: 

* IMPACT... GUSTY WINDS NEAR 40 MPH COULD RESULT IN LOCAL POWER OUTAGES... THUS CONSIDER ALTERNATE... BUT SAFE... SOURCES OF HEAT IN CASE THIS OCCURS. OTHERWISE MAKE SURE YOU HAVE PLENTY OF EXTRA WARM CLOTHING OR BLANKETS.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT WINTER WEATHER WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SLIPPERY ROADS AND POOR VISIBILITY AT TIMES. USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING. HAVE A FLASHLIGHT AND EXTRA WARM CLOTHING IN CASE OF TRAVEL DELAYS.