Northwest storm brings heavy rains, flooding concerns

SEATTLE (AP) — A storm that has brought record rainfall to the Northwest has prompted flood warnings, disrupted train traffic, closed roads and caused some power outages.

In Washington, flood warnings were posted Friday for the Skokomish, Newaukum Tolt, Chehalis and Snoqualmie rivers and flood watches were in effect for other rivers. The National Weather Service also issued a flood watch for much of Northwest Oregon and Southwest Washington.

Seattle broke a daily rainfall record on Thursday with 2.69 inches of rain, making it the 15th-wettest day ever recorded at the airport since records started being kept there in 1945. Forecasters are predicting that some areas, mostly south of Seattle, could see up to 8 inches total by Saturday.

In Oregon, rainfall totals were approaching 5 inches in the Willapa Hills by early Friday, and the Oregon Coast Range recorded more than 3 inches, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported. Low spots along U.S. 101 were seeing standing water in Seaside and near Tillamook.

Some power outages were reported in Oregon as well with winds up to 45 mph. The National Weather Service also warned of landslide risks and several slides were happening in both states. County officials throughout Western Washington were reporting water over the roadways and related road closures. South of Seattle, Pierce County officials said at 3 p.m. Friday they had tallied 53 places with water over the roadway. East of Seattle near Issaquah, a tree fell temporarily blocking all eastbound lanes of Interstate 90.

Gus Melonas, a spokesman for BNSF Railway, said all train traffic south of Tacoma had been suspended Friday morning because debris from a landslide covered one set of tracks. Melonas, who said crews hoped to restore nonpassenger train service by Friday afternoon, said debris from the slide was 3 feet deep and 50 feet wide.

Passenger train service would be suspended for at least 48 hours.