Public service announcement posted yesterday, after 6 inches of snow blanketed the city:
(So true…! 
)
And definitely search it on YouTube haha
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Having previously lived and later pet-sat through snow and ice in Seattle, I totally agree.
Like many U.S. cities that usually have mild weather, Seattle is incompetent when it comes to snow and ice. People don’t get much experience and lack the equipment needed to deal. And since the snow and ice usually go away quickly in such places, it’s better to stay safely home for the interim, if possible.
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Grew up driving in midwest winters so I’m pretty comfortable, but to be fair we have some unique challenges with the hills and overnight freezes, when temps drop & re-freeze the melt.
This compilation is always good for a few “OMGs,” though: 
(Edited to add a content warning for strong language in places!)
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Well that was a good laugh and I love the police department sense of humour. Having floods in parts of Australia, people being rescued by helicopter of car roofs and crocodiles getting a free ride to all sorts of places. What a world!
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I watched only part of that video and saw what we lived through. Even recognized Queen Anne Hill, where we lived.
The good thing was, we could walk to the grocery store, restaurants, coffee shops and such on the main drag, so could limit driving down or uphill in snow and ice. There also was a way down the backside of the hill that was less sloped.
Driving on the hill would be way more risky now, with population density so much higher. I did a sit on the hill when it snowed and iced over, and I left my rental car parked. No point borrowing trouble. Just had to be extra careful walking the dog on icy, sloped streets.
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The Queen Anne videos always make me do my face lol.
So many people here have steep up- or down-driveways and lanes…people just leave their cars on the street when it snows, but even getting up to your door on foot can be a challenge.
When we went looking for a house my husband only had one requirement for his part: NO HOUSES ON HILLS!
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I hear you, especially as we age.
Our region has many neighborhoods and roads that are hilly as well. It helps that we normally get little snow, like in Seattle. And nowadays with remote jobs and so many delivery services, it’s much easier to stay at home when the weather is ugly.
I remember trying to dig out my car in the old days in Seattle and thinking the better of it, because even if we did, none of the streets were plowed. What would be routine in the Midwest wasn’t/isn’t on the West Coast. I ended up trudging to work, which was a workout, given snow and ice.
One particularly terrible winter, we had back-to-back snowstorms and the snow and ice piled up. When it finally melted, the groundwater leaked into our neighbors’ basements, which were nestled in sloped settings.
Personally, I hate snow and try to avoid living in places where it appears regularly. I even started avoiding dog sits in winter where it routinely snows. I figure that taking a fall is riskier as we age. And I want to avoid being laid up, especially as a solo sitter.
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We had snow for one day in Vancouver last week. It was a shock as we’ve had virtually no winter and little rain this year.
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Yes, unfortunately little snow even in the mountains along the Western coasts of the U.S. and Canada this year. Ruined the key earning season for people and businesses that count on snow. And not good for our water supplies, given the lack of snowpack/spring melt.
This is also worrisome:
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I just finished a sit in the Fremont neighborhood and have a repeat beginning Wednesday. When I woke up Wednesday morning, Ole, one of the kitties, was sitting by the window, seemingly unbothered by the funny white fluff outside. Now the temperature is climbing and will be in the 50s beginning tomorrow. Here’s a photo of Ole not even paying attention.
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He is SO over it lol
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I am too! In northern WI and most of the snow was gone, just got dumped on today with 16 inches and still coming down and now windy so blizzard conditions. Ugh!!
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Stay warm!
You’re in snow country — folks there have to be hardy. I used to manage a large remote team, including folks in the Midwest, and they’d be wearing shorts one day and have a bunch of snow dumped on them the next day. Brrrrr.
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Yep, was in the 50s just last week ……suppose to be heading to Vegas tomorrow where its in the 90s! From blizzard to desert
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Jealous, as I’m on my way to “blizzard country” (midwest) to do a sit near my daughter this week…so packing for all 4 seasons!
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Tangentially, the YouTube video showed people slipping and falling. Some people know to wear shoe clamps (or spiked shoes) to avoid that. But in places with little snow, they’re less likely to own them, of course.
On one sit in Seattle, my hosts offered me use of such clamps, if needed on their hilly location during snow and ice. They also suggested that I ignore the hummingbird feeder, which had frozen, because getting to it required climbing on snowy/icy retainer walls.
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