Flood day: Snoqualmie swells in a flash, drops overnight

Published 2:30 pm Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Flooding was intense, but short-lived in Snoqualmie on Monday morning. The Snoqualmie River was rising noticeably every hour, as residents and businesses kept an eye on the water.

Shortly before the expected 4 p.m. crest, one couple was standing at the entrance to the completely flooded Sandy Cove Park, trying to decide if they would have to move their vehicles out of the path of the flood. Their house had already been raised, and was safe, they said.

In the nearby parking lot, people were filling sandbags and loading them into vehicles. A few people were intent on their work, but none of them seemed overly worried. A few, with young children, even made it an adventure.

Zach Wunder’s comment that “This isn’t as bad as the last one,” was a common refrain. He, along with Skyler Possert and his mom Michelle, had volunteered to fill sandbags for other people, saying they didn’t need any themselves.

For drivers, the flooding was bad enough. Roads were closed throughout the Valley, including the Mill Pond Road, Tolt Hill Road, S.R. 202 at the Fish Hatchery Road, Carnation Farm Road, and S.R. 203 both north and south of Carnation, all because of water over the roadways.

Snoqualmie officials announced in the afternoon that residents in Mountain Avenue Southeast, Southeast Walnut Street, Southeast Spruce Street, Spruce Place Southeast, and parts of Meadowbrook Way Southeast and Southeast Park Street were advised to evacuate. By 6 p.m., the floodwaters began to recede.

A view of the S.R. 202 bridge, from Mill Pond Road, shortly after the city of Snoqualmie closed the road, around 11:30 a.m. Monday. S.R. 202 was closed later in the day at Fish Hatchery Road because of water over the roadway, but re-opened by Tuesday morning.

Water crept up Park Avenue in Snoqualmie all afternoon Monday, and the road was closed in the early afternoon. This photo was taken at 3:30 p.m.

Residents filled sandbags to protect their properties from flooding all afternoon in downtown Snoqualmie Monday.

Snoqualmie Falls boiled past the Salish Lodge Monday afternoon, drawing crowds of curious onlookers and photographers.

Dusk gives the flooding Snoqualmie River a beautiful, surreal look on Monday evening.