Here’s what you need to know about rain totals, road closures, floods and mountain passes
The deluge has finally quit. Rain stopped falling around 12:15 p.m. Saturday in the South Sound, according to the National Weather Service.
Puget Sound might be drying out from this week’s Pineapple Express, but the baggage the wet storm left behind isn’t going away soon. Rivers are flooding, mudslides and avalanches are still a danger, and roads remain closed.
Rainfall totals from Thursday afternoon to Saturday afternoon were some of the heaviest for a storm in years. The rain gauge measured 5.83 inches in Olympia and 5.21 inches in Tacoma.
The rain queen for this storm: The Willapa Hills in Southwest Washington which received between 8.5 and 10 inches, the weather service said.
Friday was the darkest day ever observed at the University of Washington, according to atmospheric sciences professor Cliff Mass. The combination of the approaching winter solstice and the thick cloud layer allowed little solar radiation to reach ground level.
Flooding and Mudslides
The National Weather Service issued a flood warning for the Chehalis River Saturday through late Sunday night. Minor to moderate flooding is forecast in the Rochester and state Route 12 area.
The river was expected to crest near 143.9 feet around 4 p.m. Saturday. The river will fall below flood stage Sunday night.
In addition, tides across the region will be some of the highest this winter, through Christmas Day.
Sunday’s high tide will be 14.79 feet at 1:45 p.m. in Olympia. On Friday, crews were building lines of sandbags between Capitol Lake and downtown.
The weather service warned that shallow mudslides will be a continuing possibility for the next few days.
Train travel
A mudslide in Tacoma forced Amtrak to stop service between Seattle and Portland on Friday. It placed a moratorium on train travel through the area until 9 a.m. Sunday, according to an advisory from the train operator. The closure affects both Cascades and Starlight trains.
Amtrak was using buses to move passengers between Seattle and Portland.
Road closures
Following a mudslide Friday, Schuster Parkway in Tacoma remained closed in both directions Saturday from McCarver Street in Old Town to South Fourth Street.
Other Tacoma streets remain closed.
The intersection of Pacific Avenue and South 26th Street and approaching streets were closed although no water was visible Saturday.
Marine View Drive between East 11th Street and Slayden Road at Browns Point was closed.
North 36th Street from Proctor to Ruston Way was closed.
State Route 7 is closed following rock slides along a 6-mile stretch of road near Alder.
Mountain Passes
The snow level remained above mountain passes Saturday but was expected to drop through Saturday to the 3,000-3,500-foot level. Travelers should carry chains and be prepared for snow.
Although snowfall will be minimal on Sunday the snow level will continue to drop to the 1,500-2,000 level.
Avalanche conditions remain very dangerous across the entire Cascades and Olympics ranges.
Pass conditions as of 4:30 p.m. Saturday:
▪ White Pass: No restrictions.
▪ Snoqualmie Pass: No restrictions.
▪ Chinook Pass: Closed for the winter.
Next week
Monday and Tuesday should be dry and cool, the weather service said. River flooding could still be an issue.
On Wednesday, Christmas Day, expect more cold temperatures. The forecast calls for unsettled weather through New Year’s Day, the weather service said.
