Seattle is heading for a rainy record

If National Weather Service predictions of steady rain hold course for 11 more days, Seattleites will share an unenviable record for "consecutive days of measurable precipitation."

The current Seattle record, set in 1953, is 33 consecutive days. Tuesday was Day 23.


		Karen Ducey / P-I
	Pedestrians slosh across a street Tuesday in downtown Seattle. A State Patrol trooper grumbled about the long spell of wet weather, "This is getting dreary; I need sun!"

And although it's not 40 days and 40 nights, it's already getting old, many said.

As Washington State Patrol Trooper Kelly Spangler put it: "The record is of no importance, but my sanity is. This is getting dreary; I need sun!"

Tuesday, the rain and winds made life uncomfortable and bothersome for some.

Saturated earth throughout the Puget Sound area triggered mudslides -- and continues to be a concern amid the rainy forecast, utility, transportation and U.S. Geological Survey officials said.

A Phi Kappa Psi fraternity house annex at 4717 22nd Ave. N.E. in Seattle was evacuated after mud and water from a hillside seeped into the house. Four University of Washington students were displaced, but no one was injured, the Seattle Fire Department said.

"We heard this big crash downstairs. It was a real eye-opener," said sophomore Kevin Abena, one of four residents awakened when the mud hit.

Abena said a tree had crashed through the annex's back door, along with mud, water and blackberry bushes. The four students will stay at the main fraternity house until the annex can be lived in again.

In other weather-related events:

Seattle Public Utilities cleared debris from a mudslide blocking part of Rainier Avenue South in the 9700 block.

A driver hit a tree trunk that had fallen on Bothell Way Northeast, but the driver wasn't hurt.

Mudslides halted Amtrak passenger train service Tuesday between Vancouver, B.C., and Portland. Service may not resume for at least another day.

Avalanche concerns prompted state Department of Transportation crews to close some lanes of Interstate 90 over Snoqualmie Pass.

State crews also cleared debris from a mudslide blocking a northbound lane on Interstate 5 just north of Olympia.

The King County Flood Warning Center expanded its phase-two flood alerts to the Green and White rivers. Similar alerts, referring to minor flooding in low-lying areas and some road closures, were already in place for the Tolt and Snoqualmie rivers.

Meteorologists said the freezing level is low enough to lock up much of the rainfall in snow, offsetting concerns about major flooding.

For skiers, snowboarders, tubers and sledders, the snow is a welcome sight, particularly after last year's dismal ski season.

"It's snowing heavily here; the rain is good news for us," said Scott Bowen, mountain manager at Crystal Mountain on Tuesday.

Since a dry spell ended Dec. 18, the rain has not ceased. And more moisture is in sight as another weather system rolls in, meteorologists said.

"The bottom line is, we're looking at more precipitation," National Weather Service meteorologist Ted Buehner said. "Some have said it's raining harder than ever, but frankly, it's not. We've had our share, but nothing extremely out of the ordinary."

Buehner said that in many ways, this winter is shaping up to be a typical, variable Northwest winter. There is no El Niño or La Niña, nor is global warming behind the latest weather, he said.

And as nasty and gray as it may seem, a cold and dry November and early December have meant that precipitation and so-called "snow-water equivalent" at mountain measuring stations (what accumulated snow would measure as water if melted) are below normal for this time of the winter, Buehner said.

WHERE TO GO FOR HELP

Seattle Public Utilities, which monitors and responds to mudslides, advises those living on steep hills to be aware of where storm-water runoff goes and to look for leaking pipes, tension cracks in the ground or trees that begin leaning precariously. If you see a slide that threatens or blocks a street, call 206-386-1218. Those concerned that street runoff is not flowing into appropriate catch basins should call 206-386-1800. Slide-endangered residents should call 911.

P-I reporters Sam Skolnik and Larry Lange contributed to this report. P-I reporter Debera Carlton Harrell can be reached at 206-448-8326 or deberaharrell@seattlepi.com.

Soundoff (Read 2 comments)
Tell us your rain stories, send us your rain photos, nominate the five all-time best songs about rain, tell us how you're coping with one of the rainiest spells in the city's history. We'll publish your stories and photos in our new Sunless in Seattle blog launching Wednesday. Post your thoughts here on the Soundoff, send your photos to newmedia@seattlepi.com.

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