(CONTINUING COVERAGE from afternoon downpour to evening snowfall)
3:24 PM: The heavy rain predicted in today’s forecast has arrived, and some streets are swamped. Above, Frank sent the photo of bike-lane posts acting as breakwaters along Avalon Way; not far from there, Lehualani tweeted this video:
Major flooding near 35th and SW Avalon #westseattle pic.twitter.com/cPadmYuNvM
— Lehualani Shiroma (@Lehualanis) December 21, 2020
From Conner, the ground-level view of that same stretch of 35th SW:
Just a little bit of water at 35th and Avalon….. @westseattleblog @KSeattleWeather @WestSeaWx #WAwx pic.twitter.com/ldHMxfEkju
— Conner House (@CHouse2011) December 21, 2020
3:40 PM: As mentioned in comments, Harbor Avenue is swamped too. Just received this video via Twitter:
Flooding on Harbor Avenue SW. @seattletimes @westseattleblog pic.twitter.com/TfQhnRykJs
— Northwest Urbanist (@NWUrbanist) December 21, 2020
Meantime, more Avalon:
Epic flooding on Avalon Way in West Seattle @NWSSeattle @westseattleblog pic.twitter.com/EX0gPC6y9H
— Joe Zagrodnik (@joejoezz) December 21, 2020
And here’s 35th/Barton, from Kersti:
We are also getting texts that California/Raymond, northeast of Morgan Junction – a perennial drainage trouble spot – is also flooded. (video added, from Patrick Wirth)
One texter says it’s so bad that some drivers are turning around, while neighbors are out trying to clear the drain(s). Just heard a dispatcher tell an SFD crew that “SDOT is swamped” – as are streets.
4:03 PM: This is keeping SFD busy too – note all the “water job” calls on the real-time log. … Also of note, the temperature has dropped in a big way. At 3 pm, Boeing Field (KBFI here) was 55 degrees … at 4 pm, 40 degrees. (added) Another look at Harbor Avenue, from Alaina:
4:26 PM: Judy emailed about that same stretch of Harbor, “Completely impassable east side between Anchor Park (estimate) & 7-11. Low carriage vehicle submerged over wheel wells so car quit running. This occurs without any warning on a curve where center planting is so no way to turn around. Cars keep stacking up and they are trapped – water still rising. I just barely got to place to turn around with my Forester.” … Also hearing about deep water on Fauntleroy Way west of California, and Murray SW (near Lowman Beach). … Also West Marginal Way.
4:42 PM: First word of a flooded business – Thunder Road Guitars and The Bass Shop (6400 California SW; WSB sponsors) were flooded and have to close for the rest of today and tomorrow.
5:03 PM: A request from the aforementioned neighbors who’ve tried to unclog drains on Fauntleroy north of Morgan Junction – SLOW DOWN! (photo added, from Frank G)
Creeks are running high too after the deluge. Laura sent this photo from the daylighted Alki end of Schmitz Creek:
5:19 PM: Almost every arterial has had flooding – Debora emails to say that includes Delridge, “a deep river with cars stalled and flooded and traffic backed up both directions given buses’ refusal to navigate the deep water.” (added) Brandon sent this photo showing why the north end of Delridge was closed:
Trouble for waterborne transportation too: The West Seattle and Vashon water taxis have both been canceled for the rest of the evening. … With the temperature dropping as noted above – now it’s into the upper 30s – that chance of slushy snow later doesn’t seem as unlikely as it did when temps were in the 50s earlier.
5:40 PM: Some paths have been swamped too – like the bike/ped path along the north end of Delridge, north of Andover. This photo is just in from Joseph:
To the west, Shauna recorded what Spokane Street was like under the bridge earlier:
— Shauna Causey (@ShaunaCausey) December 22, 2020
5:52 PM: Commenters are seeing some snow. … And a few minutes later, here in Upper Fauntleroy, so are we! (added) Slushy accumulation on a car:
The National Weather Service says that “precipitation has ended on the coast,” so as hard as it might be to believe after all this, that “mostly sunny” forecast for tomorrow does seem in reach.
6:57 PM: Still snowing here. And video from @WestSeaWX:
@NWSSeattle @westseattleblog @joejoezz @weatherchaser5 @RandySmall @ensembleator @weatherchannel @BenjaminJurkovi @wheeler244 @CourtECarpenter @NSDwx
Quarter sized flakes with a stiff N/NE wind. pic.twitter.com/DkPR1mH5EG
— WestSeattleWx (@WestSeaWx) December 22, 2020
7:33 PM: Snow hasn’t stopped yet.
Forecast hasn’t changed yet, either. Top-of-the-hour temperature was down to 34 degrees – 21-degree drop from 3 pm.
1/2 an inch, wow!! Near 37th and Andover, I'm impressed @westseattleblog @WestSeaWx pic.twitter.com/akdMs0yxh1
— Annelies S (@annelies896) December 22, 2020
8:37 PM: Crews have been dispatched to check out a report of a tree down on 35th SW, south of Morgan.
9:39 PM: The evening edition of the forecast is out – still projecting sunshine for tomorrow.
11:40 PM: Still some snow on the ground (and the shrubbery).
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