Snow struck Kent late Christmas night and into Sunday, and the temperatures have stayed cold all week.
The city of Kent opened a Severe Weather Shelter Monday through Thursday nights at Kent Lutheran Church, with a maximum capacity of 50. The city opened a room in its Kent Commons recreational facility for people to stay warm during the day.
Monday had a high temperature of 27 degrees and low of 17 while Sunday had a high of 31 and a low of 21. More snow is predicted on Wednesday and Thursday, most likely another 1 to 2 inches atop the 4 or 5 inches that fell earlier in the week.
“Sending a huge thank you to our Ops (Operations) crews and police officers,” Kent Mayor Dana Ralph said in a Sunday statement. “They do an amazing job every day but when we have weather like this and most of us are staying home they still show up. They leave their families to take care of ours. They will show up tomorrow and the day after. They take taking care of our city seriously.”
City crews were kept busy clearing roads. Crews focused attention on the James Street hill as well as the hilly streets of South 277th Street and East Smith Street.
As of Tuesday afternoon, streets that remained closed included East Smith Street from Alvord Avenue North to South 244th Street; 42nd Avenue from South 262nd Place to Hampton Way; and South 218th Street from 98th Avenue South to 88th Avenue South.
Roads that had been closed but reopened included South 208th Street from 92nd Avenue South to 96th Way;
SE 216th Street from 100th Avenue SE to 108th Avenue SE; South 277th Street from Central Avenue North to 111th Avenue SE; and East James Street from Central Avenue North to 98th Avenue South.
Republic Services canceled residential waste pickup on Monday and Tuesday due to road conditions. People who normally get service on those days can put out twice as much waste at no extra charge next week.
The National Weather Service predicts that temperatures will climb back above freezing on New Year’s Day and Sunday.
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Snow fell heavily on Sunday, Dec. 26 in Kent. COURTESY PHOTO, Kenya Hopkins
This dog seems to be just fine in the snow. COURTESY PHOTO, Tammie Angove
Despite the snow and cold, a lavender plant still blooms. COURTESY PHOTO, Alisha McGraw
