First it was the snow, now it's the flooding! Wheee!

[GOPisEvil]

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/395143_stormonline08.html

More than 25,000 people were told to leave their homes in the Puyallup River Valley Wednesday, while floodwaters threatened to close Interstate 5 in two places and the city of Tacoma declared a state of emergency in the face of major-to-record flooding inundating most Western Washington river basins.

(snip)

Near Fife at the same time, water was beginning to creep over a levee breach and onto the freeway shortly before 6:30 p..m., with the right lane of I-5 southbound covered with water and closed for about 1 mile near Fife, though traffic was allowed to move through. Troopers and road crews monitored the freeway to plot closure points later in the evening.

"This is going to be a memorable flood event," Andy Haner, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Seattle told The Associated Press.

As small creeks became raging rivers and saturated earth threatened to slide Wednesday, sixty roads were reported closed statewide in 12 hours. Mount Rainier National Park shut its gates because of flooding concerns on the Nooksack River. Amtrak stopped north-south rail service.

All the state's major east-west mountain passes over the Cascades were closed because of avalanche danger. At Snoqualmie Pass before noon, an avalanche as wide as a football field crashed down the ski slopes, damaging eight houses, one severely, requiring the rescue of two occupants with minor injuries and the evacuation of everyone.

[Fenris]

1. Dude, this is the brilliance of living in Seattle.

Flooding, wind, snow, ice - all of these things make KING5's Jim Forman have to spend time outside in that yellow raincoat of his. "I'm standing here in the dangerously flooded and rapid Stillaguamish to tell you that the river is at flood stage!"

[GOPisEvil]

4. Otherwise, what else would he have in January in Seattle?

Cool and drizzly. Back to you, Jane.

[pokerfan]

5. Danger Jim Foreman!

Woot! Meanwhile, we've have over 80 inches since December and only one http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28511108/">snow plow shooting.

[Tripper11]

2. Ain't it grand????

I for one have had enough. We're on high ground and ok, despite a leaky roof. Not bad considering, but it will be repaired.
Hopefully after tomorrow, according to the forcast, we're going to dry out.
A little rain over the weekend, then drying next week.

[SeattleGirl]

3. I-5 has been closed in the Centralia area because of flooding.

Amtrack has suspended their run between Seattle and Portland because of mudslides.

Oy.

:banghead:

[pokerfan]

22. And all the passes are closed

Looks like you guys are cut off.

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/trafficalerts/">

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/trafficalerts

[The empressof all]

6. The entire town of Orting will be under water this time tomorrow

At least that's what I just heard on the news. I know folks in town of Snoqualmie are evacuating. I'm high up with only secondary streams about a block away and down hill. This is going to get really nasty and will hit a wide area.

[jobycom]

7. You're making me want to move there.

All this sunny sixty degree weather around here is starting to get to me.

[GOPisEvil]

9. Talk to me in August.

;)

[jobycom]

12. You'll be drowned by August.

Or you'll have washed down to Tijuana.

[GOPisEvil]

14. Really it's the snow.

The rain is normal.

I must say I am ready for summer.

[jobycom]

15. Snow becomes water.

I've heard, anyway.

[GOPisEvil]

16. Yeah, but the amount of snow we had this year is not normal for this area.

[jobycom]

17. More or less than normal?

[GOPisEvil]

19. Way, WAY more.

Normal for the Seattle metro area is a light dusting, possibly a small accumulation that melts within 24 hours at most. I think we had at least a foot of snow that stuck around over a week. We don't have the tools to deal with that kind of snow.

[Haole Girl]

8. I guess Texas is looking better & better now, huh?

;-) :hug:

[GOPisEvil]

10. I'm good.

:)

[Haole Girl]

11. Seriously, the summers are wonderful

I lived in Bellingham, WA for four years.

[GOPisEvil]

13. Oh, I know.

I can't WAIT for summer. :)

[foxfeet]

18. Assuming we actually HAVE a summer.

It could happen. . .

[GOPisEvil]

20. The sun will come out. Eventually.

Maybe.

[foxfeet]

21. "Little Orphan Annie: Doubt"

The sequel. . .