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Heavy Rain Causes Widespread Flooding In Western Washington

Posted: 7:12 am PST November 12, 2008Updated: 3:54 pm PST November 12, 2008

Rivers swelled by drenching rains have gone over their banks, swamping roads and forcing evacuations.

Here are the latest developments across Western Washington:

  • Both directions of the SR 169 Green River bridge are closed because of a landslide, the WSDOT says. WSP is directing traffic to detour.

  • Reporter Graham Johnson says officials in the city of Snoqualmie are expecting the Snoqualmie River to crest at 4 p.m. at 46,000 cfs. The community is coming together, he says, putting up sandbags to keep floodwaters from buildings. Earlier, the city of Snoqualmie declared a state of emergency. VIDEO: Residents Move Quickly As Snoqualmie Rises

  • King County officials say 16 roads are closed in eastern King County because of flooding on the Snoqualmie and Tolt rivers. See the full list here.

  • Pierce County is calling for emergency evacuations for areas of Sumner along the Puyallup River. Sheri Badger with the Pierce County Office of Emergency Management says the evacuations are precautionary based on projected river levels.

  • School districts have announced closures or changes because of the flooding. Get the full list here.

  • Pierce County has declared an emergency due to projected flood warnings for the Puyallup, Nisqually and Carbon rivers.

  • The Skagit County town of Hamilton is evacuating voluntarily.

  • Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon has declared a state of emergency to respond to flooding in the county.

  • About 130 animals have arrived at the Evergreen State Fairgrounds in Monroe, including 10 cows, four zebras and more than 100 horses. The fairgrounds has opened its barns to take in livestock and large animals needing shelter.

  • People are filing sandbags and placing them along the Skykomish River in Sultan, trying to protect buildings on Main Street from floodwaters. The flooding Skykomish has closed roads in nearby Gold Bar.

  • The Red Cross has opened two shelters for flood victims in Snohomish County.

  • Sultan firefighters in a boat rescued a family of four and two dogs this morning from a mobile home near Startup.

  • Rising floodwaters along the Skykomish and Snoqualmie rivers have triggered evacuation warnings in eastern Snohomish County. The Department of Emergency Management is urging residents along Tualco Loop Road, Tester Road and 164th/Ben Howard Road to prepare for evacuation. Waters in that area are expected to rise above flood stage and begin covering roadways near noon.

  • The Orting School District is releasing all schools early due to rising rivers: Orting High and Orting Middle 1:15 p.m. and 1:20 p.m. Orting Elementary and Ptarmigan at 2:15 p.m. and 2:20 p.m.

  • Officials have urged about 200 people to evacuate from along the rising Carbon River in Orting.

  • Flood shelters are open in Pierce County.

  • Sultan School District released all students at 11:30 a.m.

  • Chopper 7 sends back this video of water and debris crashing down Snoqualmie Falls.

  • From the National Weather Service: One to 3 inches of rain has fallen in the lowlands and 3 to 7 inches of rain has fallen in the Cascades. One to 3 inches of additional rain may fall through this afternoon before tapering off this evening. Most rivers are still rising.

  • A small dam at Mill Creek Park in Cosmopolis has failed, flooding several streets and some homes. VIDEO: Homes, Streets Flooded When Dam Breaks

  • Mount Rainier National Park is closed. Heavy rain caused Kautz Creek to flow over Nisqually Road to a depth of more than 6 inches. The park is anticipating continued heavy rain today with a snow level of 9000 feet.

  • On the Eastside, the Tolt River is at phase IV flood alert, the King County Flood Warning Center's highest level. The fast-rising Snoqualmie River has risen to a phase IV flood alert level, authorities said.

  • Toby Rickman of Tacoma Public Utilities tells KIRO 7 Eyewitness News the flooding in Pierce County may be worse than 2006. Utility crews are watching the Carbon and Puyallup rivers.

  • In Snohomish County, the Public Works Department is delivering sand and sandbags to locations where citizens can pick them up for flood protection. There are drop-off points at fire stations and parks in Gold Bar, Sultan, Index, Oso, Snohomish and Stanwood.

  • The state Emergency Operations Center has been activated.

  • King County has road closure information and tips on its Flooding Web page.

    The flooding is widespread in the region, with every major Western Washington river under a flood warning.

    Flood warnings include the Skagit River, reaching some residential areas around Mount Vernon and the Snohomish River, overtopping levees near Snohomish.

    Other rivers with warnings include the Chehalis, Satsop, Nooksack, Stillaguamish, Skykomish, Tolt, Snoqualmie, Cedar, Carbon, Puyallup and Deschutes.

    A small landslide on the Aberdeen bluffs overlooking Highway 12 has caused water to run over the main road into Aberdeen. KXRO reports road crews are working to clear the slide.

    A tanker truck filled with buttermilk rolled over and blocked two lanes of southbound Interstate 5 in Olympia for several hours early Friday morning.

    In Seattle, a one-car crash blocked southbound lanes of Aurora Avenue from about 2:30 a.m. to 7:20 a.m.

    5-Day Forecast

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    Detailed Forecast

    Rebecca Stevenson
    Rebecca Stevenson is Chief Meteorologist for KIRO 7 Eyewitness News. Stevenson holds the Seal of Approval from the American Meteorological Society (AMS) and the National Weather Association.
    Meteorologist Profile

    Weather to Expect:

    Numerous showers and a risk of thunderstorms in western Washington tonight as a trough of low pressure moves through.
    Showers will continue overnight into Saturday morning, temperatures will be chilly in the morning in the low to mid 30s. The showers will be locally heavy within a convergence zone which poses the risk of wet snow mixing with rain within the zone. The snow level is near 1,500 feet so that it would not be difficult for a heavy shower to bring wet snow as low as 1,000 feet. That would bring the potential to locations like Cougar mountain, Issaquah Alps and Tiger mountain through early Saturday morning. Accumulation is not expected but it would make for slippery roads in the higher elevations.
    A new frontal system, storm #5, will bring increasing rain and breezy winds Saturday afternoon and evening. The storm will not be as powerful as the last 4 but will make itself known with more rain on top of already saturated soils. Highs will be cool in the 40s.
    Sunday will begin with scattered showers which will decrease through the afternoon. More sunbreaks are expected and highs will be in the mid 40s.

    Be prepared for winter driving in the passes. A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for the Cascades through 6am as snow showers will bring an additional 6-10" of snow overnight....especially in the convergence zone between Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass. ~Rebecca

    3 - Day Forecast
    Sat
    Rain
    45
    Sun
    Showers
    47
    Mon
    Wind and Rain
    48
    Seattle Metropolitan Area
    Weather to Expect:

    Numerous showers and a risk of thunderstorms in western Washington tonight as a trough of low pressure moves through.
    Showers will continue overnight into Saturday morning, temperatures will be chilly in the morning in the low to mid 30s. The showers will be locally heavy within a convergence zone which poses the risk of wet snow mixing with rain within the zone. The snow level is near 1,500 feet so that it would not be difficult for a heavy shower to bring wet snow as low as 1,000 feet. That would bring the potential to locations like Cougar mountain, Issaquah Alps and Tiger mountain through early Saturday morning. Accumulation is not expected but it would make for slippery roads in the higher elevations.
    A new frontal system, storm #5, will bring increasing rain and breezy winds Saturday afternoon and evening. The storm will not be as powerful as the last 4 but will make itself known with more rain on top of already saturated soils. Highs will be cool in the 40s.
    Sunday will begin with scattered showers which will decrease through the afternoon. More sunbreaks are expected and highs will be in the mid 40s.

    Be prepared for winter driving in the passes. A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for the Cascades through 6am as snow showers will bring an additional 6-10" of snow overnight....especially in the convergence zone between Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass. ~Rebecca