Thursday, January 8, 2009

Flooding

After many feet of snow in the Olympic and Cascade Mountains and even in the lowlands, the weather warmed to the 50's and the rains came. The result is avalanches, landslides, broken trees, and widespread flooding. This morning there is no ground route out of northwestern Washington to the south, east or west. I guess we might still make it north to Canada. I-5 is closed for twenty miles at Chehalis, awaiting the cresting of two local rivers tonight. All side routes are closed due to flooding or landslides. The trains are not running south to Portland. The mountain passes (three major routes) are all closed for avalanche danger or control or standing water. With the snow piled high along the highways, there is no where for the melt off water to run. They have to pump it out. The rain has let up here in Seattle, but the storm will still bring more rain to some areas. The worst of the rain is over for now, however, and now we wait for the flow down out of the mountains to crest in the rivers in the lowlands. Misery is widespread, from stranded pets and farm animals to homes full of mud and water, schools closed, emergency routes blocked, and commerce transportation at a standstill. Trains and trucks loaded with goods are going nowhere. We are lucky, sitting high and dry, trees mostly intact, no damages suffered from ice or snow or rain. But if the Red Cross asks you for money, consider it. Folks will need help. I tried linking you up to news video, but the clips keep changing as they update. Try King 5 News for a selection of videos.

10 comments:

  1. It is a mess isn't it? I'm just so glad that we, too, live up high! This has surely been a winter for the books! Glad you're safe!

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  2. Mother Nature is certainly something to be dealt with 'cause there are so many ways that the results are devastating. Stay high and dry. We have snow and ice and snow again here in NY.

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  3. we have two grown kids who live in seattle area-it doesn't sound fun with all the flooding. we are warm 45 degrees and no rain or snow in so. utah. cross our fingers but no. utah is getting it's share of snow and bad weather. Stay put and enjoy your home.

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  4. Just heard from my daughter. She said the rain had stopped, and she was walking home from work (yes, an early day - lucky her). Things do sound pretty awful, especially for those down around Tacoma. Glad you are all high and dry. I hope the flooding subsides soon.

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  5. Oh gosh! Linda, I'm so sorry. I hope you're doing OK and are comfortable. It's about 70 degrees over here and clear skies but we're leaving for Chicago tomorrow where I hear it's 2 below 0! Yikes! I hope my skin hasn't thinned out too much.

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  6. Our local news in Washington DC has shown some of the devastaion caused by the flooding. I'm glad you are dry and hope the worst is over.

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  7. Gosh Linda, the devastation is terrible! I think that tragedies involving water are the worst kind. I hope that the weather clears soon and people are able to get their lives together again. - Dave

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  8. Thanks for posting this so I don't have to, I have referred folks here to your blog for news of the flooding..so much water, I can't believe I -5 is under water,, wow!

    Your header looks brighter, did you do something new? Beautiful!!

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  9. How awful! The weather seems to be more than a little weird everywhere.

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  10. What a mess. I hope things clear up soon. Nothing worse than slides and floods...the water was at flood level here as well but not as bad as there. Stay dry and safe.

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