Widespread rainfalls totaling between 2 and 4 inches (5-10 cm) accumulated over northwestern OR and southwestern Washington state from Sunday night through Monday, the National Weather Service said.
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Flood watches remain in effect in the area through Thursday afternoon, but meteorologists say the rain likely won’t stop until the end of the week. At Sea-Tac Airport, where the official weather for Seattle is recorded, the weather service says 2.13 inches of rain fell Tuesday.
Another barrage of heavy rains Tuesday hit the Portland area and western Washington and the rain sodden ground, shoving period to flood as residents in certain communities stacked sandbags prevent further flooding. But the effects were much worse than anyone predicted, resulting in the complete closure of such major corridors as Highway 217 in Beaverton, Hall Boulevard in Tigard, and Southeast Foster Road in Portland.
Portland sees wettest day on record as rain caused by powerful Pacific storm triggers flash flooding and landslides.
The rain also caused Portland’s sewer system to overflow into the Willamette River. The Bureau of Environmental Services urged people to avoid coming into contact with waterways and flood waters.
The storms produced high winds and heavy rainfall that saturated soils, caused major flooding, landslides, stream bank and slope erosion, fallen tree limbs, broken and uprooted trees, and flying debris. It was closed because of standing water and high tide is on the way. Such a forecast evokes memories of the epic floods in the area in January 2009.
Water levels are about 9-feet high as of Monday morning.
The National Weather Service issued a flood watch for much of northwest OR and southwest Washington. Flooding could be possible as rainfall totals can reach to 3 to 7 inches or more along areas of the coast and Coast Range through the next couple of days, with 2 to 4 inches possible in the valley.
“We’ve got road closures all over, landslides, culverts out, roads washed out, buildings flooded”.
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Officials were also trying to figure out how to fix massive sinkholes that opened up on Monday – one in front of Mount Hood Community College in Gresham, a Portland suburb, and another on Highway 22 in Yamhill County. The college will remain closed through Tuesday night due to the weather and flooding. The next bout of heavy rain is expected during the Tuesday evening rush hour.
