Months of virtually never-ending storms have slammed the Pacific Northwest this fall, leading to record rainfall, floods, mudslides and road closures.
Related: CN’s main link to Port of Vancouver remains closed
As November came to a close, the Seattle-Tacoma Airport (ICAO: SEA) recorded its wettest meteorological fall (September through November), with 19.04 inches. Vancouver, British Columbia, also had its wettest fall on record, surpassing Seattle’s total with 20.88 inches, more than twice its average.
Topping them all was Abbotsford, British Columbia, which reported a whopping 32.94 inches of fall precipitation and was badly damaged by flooding and landslides last month.
Unfortunately, some of these areas and spots in between aren’t out of the woods yet. Rain continues to drench parts of the region Wednesday, with additional rounds possible Saturday and next week.
The National Weather Service has flood watches in effect until early Thursday for areas along and east of Interstate 5 in Washington, from north of Redmond to Bellingham and the Canadian border.
The Meteorological Service of Canada has rainfall warnings posted across a large portion of British Columbia. Sections of several major highways in the province remain closed due to flood damage.
Major lanes of concern
• Interstate 5 from Redmond, Washington, to the Washington-Canada border.
• U.S. Highway 101 through the Olympic Peninsula.
• Trans-Canada Highway from Vancouver to north of Skihist Provincial Park.
Click here for more FreightWaves articles by Nick Austin.
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