Freezing rain and snow mix continues to fall in the region. Residents should use caution if they must commute to work, and are urged to telecommute on Thursday if possible. Snow and ice did not melt off roadways overnight.

While road crews worked through the night, this morning drivers and bus riders are being met with potentially worse road conditions than yesterday due to cold temperatures and freezing rain. Individuals who must travel to work today should take their time, be patient, and emphasize safety over getting to their destination quickly.

King County Operations: Some King County agencies are reporting altered operations today, Thursday. Updated closures are posted online in real time at www.kingcounty.gov. Here is a list of operations that are currently affected:

· King County Government Late Start: The National Weather Service has issued an ice storm warning in effect from 6 a.m. until 12 noon today in the greater King County region. Roads and travel is extremely dangerous. King County is asking all county government employees who are not first responders to stay off the roads and not report to work until 10 a.m. if your agency remains open today.

· Online Services Available: King County residents may be able to obtain some services online, such as pet licensing, car tabs, marriage licenses by mail, property tax payments, business licensing and more.

· Superior Court: Closed on Thursday, January 19

· District Court: Closed on Thursday, January 19.

· Department of Assessments: Office is closed Thursday, January 19. Online services can be found at www.kingcounty.gov/assessor.

· King County International Airport: Normal operations. Big runway is open, small runway is closed. No impact to airport operations.

· Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention: Normal operations, except the Community Center for Alternative Programs and Helping Hands Program will be closed.

· Elections: Open reduced hours from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday with reduced staffing.

· Board of Health: The King County Board of Health is canceling its meeting for this Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012. The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Board will be Thursday, February 16 at 1:30 p.m. in King County Council Chambers.

· Metro Transit: King County Metro Transit is encountering dangerously icy roads today, Thursday, Jan. 19, as the region recovers from significant snowfall. All buses are on snow routes, and bus service will probably still be significantly disrupted and delayed on Thursday. Metro is operating with up to 30 routes canceled. Please consider limiting travel if at all possible. Travel conditions could change during the day, so please check Metro’s snow page (http://www.kingcounty.gov/metro/snow) for the current status of bus service.

· Public Health Centers: Public Health Centers may have limited services. If you plan to get services at a Public Health Center or other Public Health location, please call before you leave home to find out if the service is available. Contact information is available on the Public Health website at www.kingcounty.gov/health.

· Garbage collection service disruptions: Disruptions in garbage collection are being reported in several areas of King County. Customers who are missed on their regular collection day this week are asked to secure their garbage and put it out for collection on their regular day next week. There are several companies providing garbage-collection services throughout King County, and residents are urged to contact their individual hauler for information: http://your.kingcounty.gov/solidwaste/garbage-recycling/garbage.asp

King County Roads

King County Road Services Division crews are currently reporting very hazardous driving conditions along with several road closures. Most of the county's road response has focused on plowing and sanding.

As the day progresses, Motorists should be prepared to encounter varying depths of snow. Given these changing conditions, road crews will continue to focus on major arterials and heavily traveled roadways. These roads are considered priorities for county snow and ice response. Depending on the severity of the storm, some roads will be plowed and sanded less often than others.

Given this forecast, motorists should closely monitor weather forecasts and adjust their travel plans as necessary. When heading out, make sure you are prepared for winter driving.

Residents can get a preview of weather conditions by visiting King County's MyCommute website at www.kingcounty.gov/mycommute. Click on one of 66 traffic cameras situated throughout King County to monitor snow and traffic conditions.

SDOT will be working around the clock, visit the traffic web cams to see what the road conditions look like.