Snow is coming to South Sound. Here’s what you need to know to be prepared

Here’s what the National Weather Service says we need to be prepared for, starting Monday: a modified Arctic front that will bring bitter cold to the northern Puget Sound and freezing temperatures in Thurston County, along with “our first chance of real problematic snow.”

Temperatures are expected to drop to freezing overnight Sunday and stay in the mid 30s or below until Friday in South Sound. Precipitation is possible every day.

It could mean freezing and thawing here, making roads and sidewalks treacherous and setting up the possibility of school disruptions. But at least we aren’t Bellingham, where lows could reach 10 degrees Tuesday, which is predicted to be the coldest day of the week.

“A typical Arctic front will give us an inch or two, but the question is whether it will dry out or not as the cold comes down,” National Weather Service meteorologist Mike McFarland told The Seattle Times. “It could be wetter farther south or north. It’s just too early to say.”

Thurston County already has declared a “code blue” to increase overnight homeless shelter capacity at Community Youth Services, the Salvation Army and Pear Blossom Place.

However, all of us need to make sure we have supplies on hand that we don’t usually need, including mittens and hats, snow shovels and salt. You can’t expect your street will be plowed, and property owners or residents are responsible for clearing their own sidewalks enough that people using wheelchairs can pass.

It’s a great time for able-bodied (and entrepreneurial) teens to earn some money shoveling for others who can’t.

Other things to think about:

• Check on your neighbors to see who may need help if heavy snow starts to fall like it did last February. At least four people in the state died of hypothermia-related causes during that week.
• Remember that Intercity Transit buses are now fare free, so you can hop a bus instead of driving on slick or snowy roads. You can use IT’s trip planner, or Google Maps also will create a route (or many) for you. You can sign up for IT’s winter weather alerts, or go to their website to find out about winter detours necessary because of snow accumulation.
• Make sure you have plenty of food and supplies for a week, in case getting around is difficult. Maybe stock up on puzzles, games and other things you and those you live with enjoy doing at home. If you have kids, do you have what you need to let them get outside and enjoy snow?
• Thurston County Emergency Management offers a wealth of information about the weather and how it’s affecting roads and other spots. You can sign up for text messages alerting you to changing conditions too.
• The Olympian will post all information we receive about school and road closures and other disruptions. Send anything you want to share to news@theolympian.com