Rain continues to fall Friday, and forecasters say over the next few days some areas may get 9 inches or more. Combined with past days' heavy rain and warmer temperatures melting mountain snow, some areas King, Pierce and Snohomish counties report minor flooding and road-blocking mudslides.
The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for most of western Washington. The statement lists areas of main flooding concern, including:
- the upper Puyallup River near Orting of Pierce County
- the lower Chehalis River in Grays Harbor County
- the Snohomish River in Snohomish County
- and the Snoqualmie River in King County
In the east King County city of Carnation Friday morning, part of the Snoqualmie River Road is closed completely due to flooding over the roadway.
Mudslides Close Roads
As of Friday morning, a mudslide partially blocked a portion of the West Valley Highway near Sumner, in north Pierce County.
Bonney Lake-Sumner Patch.com reports engineers and road crews worked overnight on the slide:
Even after crews using heavy equipment moved the debris (on Thursday), authorities were unwilling to open the road as more slides still threatened.
A hill abutting the highway may be too unstable for that portion of the road to be considered safe, according Patch's Lauren Padgett.
In nearby Buckley, KING-TV reported SR 165 was reopened late Thursday after a slide along the Carbon River.
Trains north of Seattle affected (updated Fri. 11:15 am)
Passenger train service north of Seattle is stopped today after a slide covered Burlington Northern lines south of Everett. The slide is cleared but the route is shut down until at least Saturday to ensure safety.
Sound Transit released the following update late Friday morning on train and bus schedules for those traveling north from Seattle:
EVENING BACK-UP BUS SERVICE – Friday 1/14 (southbound):
- Seattle - Edmonds: Starline charter express bus service will depart 4th and Jackson at 4:05 p.m., 4:45 p.m., and 5:35 p.m. Riders may also board Community Transit Route 416 at 5th & James.
- Seattle - Mukilteo: Starline charter express bus service will depart 4th & Jackson at 4:05 p.m., 4:33 p.m., 5:05 p.m. and 5:35 p.m. Riders may also board Community Transit Route 417 at 4th Ave S and Jackson St.
- Seattle - Everett: Starline charter express bus service will depart 4th Ave S and Jackson St at 4:33 p.m., 5:05 p.m., and 5:35 p.m. Riders may also board regularly scheduled ST Express Route 510 at 4th Ave S and Jackson St.
* Southline Sounder (southbound from Seattle) is not affected and will run as scheduled.
Amtrak schedules remain on time, with passengers going to Vancouver, BC and Spokane being bused from Seattle to Everett.
