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FEATURE NEWS | |
RAIN CONTINUES, STEVENS PASS CLOSED TUES. NIGHT DUE TO SLIDES
Flood warnings on several rivers
February 21, 2012
 The summitt of Stevens Pass as it looked in the hour it closed Tuesday evening Feb 21. CLICK TO ENLARGE  Snohomish River in the city of Snohomish at major flood stage of 30.55 feet at 10:00 pm Jan. 17, 2011. River water floods houses at First & Lincoln streets. Chronicle staff photo. CLICK TO ENLARGE  Flood conditions for King County Rivers. CLICK TO ENLARGE
Note: to find out when the pass opens and real time current conditions at any hour, you can always look at the far right hand column on the front page of the Sky Valley Chronicle where Stevens Pass conditions are posted 24/7.
Interstate 90 reopened Tuesday afternoon after avalanche conditions forced closure of a 70-mile stretch of the highway for hours in the early morning.
That stretch of highway was closed for 11 hours between North Bend and Ellensburg which caused a backup more than two miles long of vehicles on the west side about 20 miles from the summit.
Snoqualmie Pass had 1.71 inches of rain through mid morning Tuesday, Stevens Pass had just under an inch of rain and snow mixed.
Just before 6:30 a.m. the National Weather Service continued and updated the Flood Warnings for the following rivers:
Flood Warning continues for:
The Pilchuck river near Snohomish until late tonight. At 5:45 am Wednesday the stage was 18.9 feet. Flood stage is 18.0 feet. Minor flooding is occurring and minor flooding is forecast. The river will continue to rise and crest near 19.0 feet
around 7 am Wednesday. The river will fall below flood stage Wednesday evening. At 18.0 feet the Pilchuck river spills out of its banks flooding residences and roads in low lying areas along the river from Granite Falls downstream through the Lake Stevens area and Snohomish.This includes areas around Sexton Road and Orchard Avenue in Snohomish
Flood Warning continues for:
The Stillaguamish River at Arlington until late Wednesday tonight. At 5:55 am Wednesday the stage was 14.2 feet and Flood stage is 14.0 feet. Minor flooding is occurring and minor flooding is forecast. The river will continue to rise and crest near 15.1 feet around 10 am Wednesday. The river will fall below flood stage early Wed. afternoon. The Stilly will locally spill over its banks with minor flooding around Silvana and including over Pioneer Highway.
Flood Warning continues for:
The Snoqualmie river near Carnation until late Thursday night. At 5:30 am Wednesday the stage was 54.6 feet. Flood stage is 54.0 feet. Minor flooding is occurring and moderate flooding is forecast. The river will continue to rise and crest near 57.8 feet around 10 PM Wednesday. The river will fall below flood stage Thursday afternoon. At 56.0 feet the Snoqualmie River will cause widespread flooding from Fall City downstream through Carnation and Duvall...
inundating much of The Farm land and numerous roads.
Flood Warning continues for:
The Snoqualmie river near the falls until Thursday morning. At 5:30 am Wednesday the flow was 24900 cfs. Flood flow is 20000 cfs. Minor flooding is occurring and moderate flooding is forecast. The river will continue to rise and crest near 34000 cfs around 10 am Wednesday. The river will fall below flood flow early Thursday morning. At 30000 cfs the Snoqualmie River will cause widespread flooding of pasture lands and roads along the river from the town of Snoqualmie downstream through Fall City. Roads that may become flooded include Fall City-Carnation, Tolt Hill, and Novelty flats roads.
Flood Warning continues for:
The Tolt River near Carnation until this evening. At 5:15 am Wednesday the flow was 5230 cfs. Flood flow is 5000 cfs. Minor flooding is occurring and minor flooding is forecast. The river has crested and will continue to fall to below flood flow early Wednesday afternoon. At 5000 cfs the Tolt River will flood Tolt River Road northeast and many driveways. Some homes in the San Souci area could be inaccessible due to deep and quick flood waters.
Flood Warning continues for:
The Puyallup River near Orting until Thursday morning. At 5:45 am Wednesday the flow was 5640 cfs. Flood flow is 4500 cfs. Minor flooding is occurring and minor flooding is forecast. The river will continue to rise and crest near 7600 cfs around 10 am Wednesday. The river will fall below flood flow Wednesday night. At 4500 cfs the Puyallup River will flood some areas along the upper Puyallup River above Orting. Areas include but are not limited to the Neadham Road vicinity... Orville Road east vicinity in areas south of Brooks Road east and north of Electron Road... and the country subdivision/tomolla tree farm vicinity.
INCREASED RISK OF LANDSLIDES
Heavy rainfall through Wednesday morning will lead to increase risk of landslides in portions of western Washington.
Rainfall of 2 to 6 inches in the 24 hours from Monday evening to Tuesday evening has increased soil moisture to moderate levels across western Washington east of the Puget Sound.
Heavy rainfall of an additional 1 to 3 inches in this area was expected overnight Tuesday to Wednesday. This amount of rain will put extra pressure on soil instability leading to an increased risk of landslides.
Cumulative rainfall over the last week has been in the 1.5 to 3.5 inch range and adding in rainfall from Tuesday and Tuesday night and what will come Wednesday, the estimated Washington landslide risk level is moderate.
At this threat level scattered landslides are possible in areas of Western Washington.
With an elevated landslide risk, rainfall-induced landslides are possible during bursts of intense rainfall or when there is heavy rainfall over a period of a day or two.
A gradually diminishing risk of landslides will continue for several days after the rain ends. Areas most susceptible to landslides under these conditions are steep coastal Bluffs and other steep hillsides.
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