Record-setting rain responsible for power outages, will impact weekday commuters
Mar 16, 2015, 6:04 AM | Updated: 1:50 pm
The National Weather Services said rainfall records were broken Sunday at Sea-Tac, and in Olympia and Seattle. Sunday's heavy rains contributed to weekend traffic congestion, too. (SDOT Photo)
(SDOT Photo)
Record-setting rain on Sunday has mostly passed over the Puget Sound area, but its effects will still hit residents trying to commute to work Monday morning.
BNSF Railway spokesman Gus Melonas said a mudslide from heavy rain has shut down a rail line between Seattle and Everett.
According to Melonas, a slide hit the BNSF mainline about 22 miles north of Seattle, burying a 20-foot long stretch of track under 10 feet of mud and debris.
Crews expected to have the line reopened for freight trains by midnight Sunday, but a two-day moratorium has been place on passenger trains as a precaution.
The National Weather Services said rainfall records were broken Sunday at Sea-Tac, and in Olympia and Seattle.
The previous record at Sea-Tac for March 15 was 1.2 inches, set in 1974. By 6 p.m., 1.57 inches had already fallen.
About a thousand Puget Sound Energy customers lost power overnight in the Auburn and Bonney Lake areas. Crews have since restored power to affected customers.
In Gold Bar, a tree fell on a car on First Avenue W. The 35-year-old driver was rescued and taken to the hospital with minor injuries.
In Seattle, a mudslide covered about half of Fairmount Avenue near Southwest Hill, in West Seattle.
The forecast for Monday isn’t as wet, according to KING 5 meteorologist Rich Marriott. Partly sunny skies are expected in the afternoon, with highs in the mid- to upper-60s.
A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for the Olympics and North Cascades where a foot of snow is expected Monday morning at Hurricane Ridge and Mount Baker.
The Associated Press and KIRO Radio staff contributed to this report.
