It's not really an emergency (yet), but the mayor did activate the city's Emergency Operations Center this morning, and with the National Weather Service predicting continued subfreezing temperatures and winds gusting up to 40 mph, the City of Seattle has continued its response to severe weather in the following ways:

· The Seattle Department of Transportation continues its snow response with 22 plows and three flusher trucks applying anti-icing material on snow routes through 8 p.m. On the night shift SDOT will continue salt brining on snow routes. For more information, please see http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/winterweather.htm.

· The city of Seattle will open the Seattle Center Pavilion near Key Arena tonight through Thursday, Nov. 25, as an additional shelter for homeless people. Doors open at 9 p.m. each evening. These shelters are also open the nights of November 22, 23, 24, and 25:

o City Hall, 4th Avenue between Cherry and James Sts., is open from 9 p.m. and people should not arrive before 8:30 p.m.
o Frye Hotel (women only), 3rd Ave. and Yesler Way, opens at 8 p.m.

· Fire Department has chained up four of its engines in anticipation of worsening road conditions; Engine 17 (University District), Engine 31 (Northgate), Engine 8 (top of Queen Anne Hill), and Engine 2 (bottom of Queen Anne Hill).

· Seattle Parks and Recreation has closed all athletic fields and has cancelled all community center programs scheduled after 6 p.m., and all pool programs. Parks has also cancelled all evening recreation programs and closed middle-school learning centers and golf courses. Pools and community centers are open for drop-in use until their regularly scheduled closing times and school age care camps are in session.
http://parkways.seattle.gov/2010/11/22/parks-and-recreation-cancels-programs-closes-some-facilities/

· Woodland Park Zoo closed at 3 p.m. today. Regular winter hours are 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

· The City reminds residents NOT to use barbecues or electric generators indoors, because poisonous carbon monoxide build up and can cause permanent brain damage and even death.

· Seattle Animal Shelter reminds pet owners to keep pets inside. For more information, please see http://thescoop.seattle.gov/2010/11/17/seattle-animal-shelter-reminds-pet-owners-to-protect-pets-from-cold/.

The best part: your garbage will still be picked up at the same time.