SEATTLE, WA - Heavy, wet snow fell across the Seattle area on Friday, leaving some areas under 4 or more inches of snow, and other areas with much less. But there was more in store for Saturday, with wind gusts expected as high as 40 MPH in the Seattle area.

Many cities in the Seattle area saw snow fall fast and hard between around noon and 6 p.m. South Seattle and Renton had totals up to 8 inches by Friday night, while Bellevue saw just above 2 inches, according to the National Weather Service. The storm was spread across the entire state, however, leaving places like Sequim with more than 12 inches of snow. Gov. Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency on Friday afternoon, freeing up state resources for local cities to deal the storm's aftermath.

"Weather forecasters predict this may be a storm unlike one we've seen in many years. I encourage everyone to stay off the roads if possible and plan ahead if you must travel," Inslee said Friday in a statement.

An example of less snow: Interbay in Seattle near the Ballard Bridge on Friday night. Photo courtesy Monika Kennedy In the Puget Sound area, driving was, as usual, one of the biggest problems. Rush hour hit in the early afternoon, leaving most highways mostly empty by 5:30 p.m. There were plenty of crashes and slide offs, however, and SR 18 in Issaquah had to be closed for a period Friday night due to a crash.



Local officials urged people not to drive to keep roads clear for plows and emergency vehicles. "If you do not have to travel during the course of this weather event, please don't do that," Seattle fire Chief Harold Scoggins said.

But the snow was slowing public transportation, too.



On Friday evening, King County Metro put its Emergency Snow Network plan in place effective 4 a.m. Saturday. Under that plan, the bus system drops to just 60 "core routes" that travel along well-plowed streets with few hills. You can see a list of those routes here.

WSDOT advised anyone who feels the need to drive to do so slowly, even Subaru owners.

"Other than not traveling at all, there is no better way to be safe in these conditions than lowering your speed and being cautious. And remember, 4-wheel drive and all-wheel drive doesn't mean you can steer or stop better on ice," WSDOT wrote on its blog.