Debris Flows and Flooding in Washington, January 7 to 10, 2009

Name: Debris Flows and Flooding in Washington, January 7 to 10, 2009
Start: 2009-01-07T04:00
End: 2009-01-10T20:00
Location: Washington

January 7 to 10, 2009 · NWS SEW · 15 events in 15 counties and zones

Rainfall of 8-20 inches in the mountains and 1 to 9 inches in the lowlands occurred from Jan 6th through 8th. Flooding was widespread over much of Western Washington.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $72 million
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 15

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS SEW wrote it up.

Rainfall of 8-20 inches in the mountains and 1 to 9 inches in the lowlands occurred from Jan 6th through 8th. Flooding was widespread over much of Western Washington. Record flooding occurred on the Snoqualmie, Tolt, and North Fork Stillaguamish Rivers. Near record flooding occurred on the Snohomish, Newaukum, and Skookumchuck Rivers. Major flooding occurred on 18 rivers and 21 forecast points. Surveys found an estimated 497 residences that were destroyed or suffered major damage, and another 2,340 residences that needed repairs. Over 44,000 people were evacuated as a result of rising or high water as well as landslides.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Seattle, WA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 7, 3:30 AM PST, 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 7, 3:30 AM PST, 30 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA
330 AM PST WED JAN 7 2009

.SYNOPSIS...A RIVER OF WARM...VERY MOIST AIR WILL CONTINUE TO BRING
RAIN...HEAVY AT TIMES...TO THE REGION THROUGH TONIGHT. SIGNIFICANT
RAINFALL AMOUNTS HAVE ALREADY LED TO FLOODING OVER PORTIONS OF
WESTERN WASHINGTON. EXPECT THE RAIN TO LET UP LATE TONIGHT OR EARLY
THURSDAY AS DRIER AND COOLER AIR BEGINS TO INVADE THE AREA. THE
THREAT OF PRECIPITATION WILL COME TO AN END THURSDAY NIGHT...AND
THEN DRY WEATHER WILL PREVAIL ON FRIDAY UNDER HIGH PRESSURE ALOFT.

&&

.SHORT TERM...
QUITE BUSY TONIGHT DUE TO SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL...WHICH HAS LED TO
FLOODING. MEANWHILE...ANTICIPATE MORE RAIN...HEAVY AT TIMES...
THROUGH TONIGHT. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 4 TO 8 INCHES ARE
EXPECTED ON THE COAST AND IN THE CASCADES THROUGH TONIGHT...WITH UP
TO 10 INCHES POSSIBLE ON THE WEST FACING SLOPES OF THE CASCADES.
LESSER AMOUNTS...GENERALLY 1 TO 3 INCHES...ARE ANTICIPATED
ELSEWHERE. THIS AMOUNT OF RAIN WILL ONLY SERVE TO EXACERBATE THE
FLOODING SITUATION.

THE RAIN WILL BEGIN TO LET UP LATE TONIGHT AS AN UPPER TROF
APPROACHES THE REGION. THIS SYSTEM WILL USHER IN A DRIER AND COOLER
AIR MASS DURING THE DAY THU. THUS EXPECT THE SNOW LEVELS TO BEGIN
FALLING OVERNIGHT BUT MORE SO THU MORNING AFTER THE OCCLUDED OR COLD
FRONT MOVES THROUGH. BY MIDAFTERNOON THU...THE SNOW LEVELS SHOULD BE
IN THE 2500 TO 3K FT RANGE. ANTICIPATE THE THREAT OF PRECIP TO END
THU NIGHT AS AN UPPER RIDGE MOVES OVER THE REGION.

DRY AND SEASONABLE WEATHER WILL PREVAIL OVER THE REGION ON FRI UNDER
HIGH PRESSURE ALOFT.

.LONG TERM FROM THE PREV DISCUSSION...A WEAK SYSTEM BRUSHES THE
AREA FROM THE NORTH ON SATURDAY. HAVE MOSTLY BROAD BRUSHED THE
REST OF THE EXTENDED...KEEPING CHANCE POPS AS EURO IS WETTER THAN
GFS. BURKE

&&

.AVIATION...VERY STRONG ONSHORE FLOW CONTINUES TO PRODUCE HEAVY RAIN
IN THE MOUNTAINS...ALONG THE COAST...AREAS AROUND THE STRAIT OF JUAN
DE FUCA...AND IN THE SOUTH INTERIOR. NWS RADAR AT CAMANO ISLAND
CONTINUES TO SHOW RAIN SHADOWING IN THE STRAITS OF GEORGIA AND IN
THE CENTRAL PUGET SOUND AREA EAST OF THE OLYMPICS. THE HEAVY
PRECIPITATION AND RAIN SHADOWING WILL SHIFT AROUND SOMEWHAT DURING
THE DAY. FLOW ALOFT SHIFTS FROM STRONG WESTERLY TO SWLY LATER THIS
AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THIS WILL WEAKEN AND SHIFT THE RAIN SHADOW
NORTHWARD AND GIVE ANOTHER SURGE OF HEAVY PRECIPITATION TO AREAS
INCLUDING THE LOWLANDS. WITH LITTLE CONFIDENCE IN THE EXACT DETAILS
WILL START WITH CURRENT CONDITIONS AND SHIFT CONDITIONS IN THE
DIRECTION OF THE MESO MODELS AS DETAILED ABOVE.

KSEA...MINOR FLUCTUATIONS AROUND CURRENT CONDITIONS. SOME BREAKS IN
THE PRECIPITATION ARE POSSIBLE TODAY IF THE RAIN SHADOW SHIFTS SOUTH
BY A FEW MILES. CONFIDENCE IN THE DETAILS OF THE CEILINGS AND
VISIBILITIES OF THE TERMINAL FORECAST IS LOW...BUT IN GENERALLY
EXPECT IFR CEILINGS WITH OCCASIONALLY MODERATE RAIN RATES TODAY.
RAINFALL RATES WILL INCREASE AGAIN LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING
AS FLOW ALOFT BACKS TO SWLY. CONDITIONS WILL SLOWLY IMPROVE THU
MORNING. ALBRECHT

&&

.MARINE...GALES WARNINGS HAVE BEEN EXTENDED THROUGH THIS EVENING FOR
THE COAST. GALES AT THE WEST ENTRANCE TO THE STRAIT...IN THE CENTRAL
STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA...AND PUGET SOUND AND HOOD CANAL WILL BE
ALLOWED TO CONTINUE THROUGH EARLY THIS MORNING AS STRONG WINDS ALOFT
CONTINUE TO INTERACT WITH THE TERRAIN. WINDS ALOFT WEAKEN SOMEWHAT
LATER THIS MORNING SO EXPECT WINDS IN ALL AREAS EXCEPT THE COAST TO
FALL TO BELOW GALE FORCE BY ABOUT 8 AM. STILL EXPECT HIGH END SMALL
CRAFT ADVISORY CONDITIONS TO DOMINATE IN THE INLAND WATERS THROUGH
TONIGHT.

A COLD FRONT WILL SAG SLOWLY SOUTH THROUGH THE WATERS LATE TONIGHT
THROUGH EARLY THURSDAY. AS THE FRONT MOVES THROUGH WINDS WILL BECOME
WEST AND DECREASE SOMEWHAT. NWLY WINDS WILL AGAIN INCREASE MIDDAY
THU ALONG THE COAST...THROUGH THE STRAIT...AND THRU THE STRAITS OF
GEORGIA AS HIGH PRES BUILDS IN FROM THE W...THERE IS A 50 PERCENT
PROBABILITY THAT THE NORTHWESTERLY WINDS WILL REACH GALE FORCE LATER
THU ...MAINLY ALONG THE COAST AND THRU THE STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA.
HIGH PRES SHIFTS EAST OVER THE WATERS LATE THU NIGHT AND FRI FOR
MORE CALM CONDITIONS. SLY FLOW WILL INCREASE TO SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY
CRITERIA LATER SAT AS ANOTHER FRONT MOVES BY TO THE NORTH. ALBRECHT

&&

.AVALANCHE...VERY HEAVY RAIN...FREEZING LEVELS FROM ABOUT 5K NORTH
TO AROUND 8K SOUTH...AND STRONG WINDS HAVE ALL COMBINED TO PRODUCE
EXTREME AVALANCHE DANGER ABOUT EVERYWHERE YOU LOOK IN THE MOUNTAINS.
WITH UP TO 4 TO 6 INCHES OF RAIN OR SNOW CHANGING TO RAIN LOADING
OUR EARLIER STILL FRAGILE SNOWPACK...AVALANCHE CLOSURES OF I-90...
US-2 AND MT BAKER HIGHWAYS HELP CONFIRM REALITY THAT THE SNOWPACK IS
IN A SEVERE STATE OF STRESS AND EXTREME DANGER WARRANTED. WITH
ANOTHER 3-5 INCHES OF WATER ARRIVING WEDNESDAY TO ADD TO THE ALREADY
OVERWHELMING BURDEN ON MANY BURIED WEAK LAYERS...FURTHER WIDESPREAD
AVALANCHE ACTIVITY EXPECTED ALONG WITH CONTINUING POTENTIAL FOR MORE
LARGE DESTRUCTIVE SLIDE RELEASES. EXTREME DANGER CONTINUING INTO
WEDNESDAY NIGHT BEFORE COOLING AND GRADUALLY DECREASING
PRECIPITATION RATES ALLOW THE DANGER TO EASE AND THE SNOWPACK TO
BEGIN THE REFREEZE AND STRENGTHEN PROCESS THURSDAY. HOPEFULLY
MINIMAL LONG LASTING EFFECTS FROM THE AVALANCHE AND FLOODING THATS
UNDERWAY. MOORE

&&

.SEW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WA...FLOOD WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF WESTERN WASHINGTON.

     AVALANCHE WARNING FOR EXTREME AVALANCHE DANGER IN EFFECT
     FOR THE OLYMPICS AND CASCADES THROUGH TONIGHT.

     FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR KITSAP COUNTY THROUGH FRI
     AFTERNOON.

PZ...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FOR THE COASTAL WATERS...WESTERN AND
     CENTRAL STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA...AND PUGET SOUND/HOOD CANAL.

     SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FOR THE REMAINING WATERS.

     SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FOR ROUGH GRAYS HARBOR BAR
     CONDITIONS.

WEATHER.GOV/SEATTLE

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jan 6, 10:00 PM PST, 6 hours before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA
1000 PM PST TUE JAN 06 2009

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0959 PM     HEAVY RAIN       1 NE FORKS              47.96N 124.38W
01/06/2009  M3.05 INCH       CLALLAM            WA   TRAINED SPOTTER

            TOTAL IN 22 HOURS. RECENT RAIN RATE 0.75 IN. AN HOUR

&&

Local storm report, Jan 6, 11:55 PM PST, 4 hours 5 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA
1155 PM PST TUE JAN 06 2009

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0723 PM     HEAVY RAIN       1 SSW GRASSMERE         48.53N 121.79W
01/06/2009  M5.08 INCH       SKAGIT             WA   TRAINED SPOTTER

            24 HOUR RAINFALL 5.08 INCHES. RAINING 0.2 INCHES PER HOUR
            NOW. STILL 12 INCHES OF COMPACT SNOW ON GROUND.

&&

ALBRECHT

Local storm report, Jan 7, 12:04 AM PST, 3 hours 56 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA
1204 AM PST WED JAN 07 2009

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1204 AM     HEAVY RAIN       1 NE FORKS              47.96N 124.38W
01/07/2009  M3.50 INCH       CLALLAM            WA   TRAINED SPOTTER

            24 HR TOTAL

&&

Local storm report, Jan 7, 3:24 AM PST, 36 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA
324 AM PST WED JAN 07 2009

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0324 AM     HEAVY RAIN       4 NNW EATONVILLE        46.93N 122.30W
01/07/2009  M2.24 INCH       PIERCE             WA   TRAINED SPOTTER

            24 HR TOTAL

&&

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

9 flood, 5 debris flow, 1 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, King

When: January 7, 4:00 AM PST to January 10, 1:00 PM PST
Where: King County, 1 mi NE of Snoqualmie to 1 mi SE of North Bend
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $14 million
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 47.540, -121.805

The cities of Snoqualmie, Carnation, Duvall and Fall City flooded, some residents had to be rescued, many homes were flooded. The Issaquah creek flooded some residences and businesses. It also eroded part of the riverbank, which caused a guest house to fall into the creek. About 40 King County roads were closed. In Pacific, about 1000 people evacuated their homes due to flooding from releases from the Mud Mountain dam, 100 of those homes were damaged, some with 3 feet of water in them.

Heavy Rain, Clallam

When: January 7, 5:00 AM PST to January 8, 8:00 PM PST
Where: Clallam County, Pysht to Sequim
Property damage: $4.0 million
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 48.200, -124.120

Heavy rain caused some flooding and landslides, which damaged several roads and about a dozen homes. Along with the heavy rain, faulty drainage accounted for some flooding in Sekiu. The waterfront trail in Port Angeles was closed due to fallen trees and small landslides. A bridge in western Clallam County was washed out, stranding a few families. There were numerous other county roads impassible from flooding.

Flood, Pierce

When: January 7, 5:00 AM PST to January 9, 7:00 PM PST
Where: Pierce County, Fife to 3 mi ENE of Wilkeson
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $8.8 million
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 47.250, -122.350

There was flooding along the Puyallup River, some homes and businesses in Sumner flooded. Towns along the river had evacuation orders in place. Several roads in the area were also flooded, including 3 lanes of I-5 in Fife. Several small cities in eastern Pierce county, including Wilkeson and South Prairie, had flooding from creeks.

Debris Flow, West Slopes Northern Cascades and Passes

When: January 7, 6:00 AM PST to 3:00 PM PST
Where: West Slopes Northern Cascades and Passes forecast zone
Property damage: $4.0 million
Reported by: Newspaper

Multiple mudslides spilled across Highway 20 near Concrete, tearing out a concrete barrier, about 1000 feet of guard rail and power poles. Also near concrete a single family home was destroyed by a mudslide. Some people were ordered to evacuate while others lost power.|Another landslide covered the Mount Baker Hwy east of Deming and another one off of the highway damaged a home. A couple of homes near Van Zandt were damaged by mudslides.

Flood, Grays Harbor

When: January 7, 8:00 AM PST to January 9, 2:00 PM PST
Where: Grays Harbor County, Aberdeen to Copalis Crossing
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $1.2 million
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 46.980, -123.820

Nearly 50 roads were closed in the county. The closed roads caused many school districts to cancel classes. Several businesses also closed. Near Copalis Crossing, the Humptulips River flooded several homes. A few homes near Elma were also flooded.

Flood, Mason

When: January 7, 8:00 AM PST to January 9, 6:00 PM PST
Where: Mason County, 5 mi E of Shelton to 8 mi S of Shelton
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $900,000
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 47.220, -122.993

There was flooding along the Skokomish River. Several homes in Shelton flooded, most from local creeks. Several roads in the area were also flooded, including SR 106 and 108.

Flood, Whatcom

When: January 7, 9:00 AM PST to January 9, 8:00 PM PST
Where: Whatcom County, 7 mi E of Lynden to 1 mi WNW of Lynden
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $5.6 million
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 48.930, -122.276

Some homes and businesses in Ferndale, Marietta and Lynden were flooded, most of them from the Nooksack River. Most schools in the area were closed or limited hours for 3 days. Sections of several major roads were closed. In the end more than two dozen roads had sections that had been washed away.

Debris Flow, West Slopes Central Cascades and Passes

When: January 7, 11:00 AM PST to 9:00 PM PST
Where: West Slopes Central Cascades and Passes forecast zone
Property damage: $8.5 million
Reported by: Newspaper

All roads out of Morton, Hwy 12, SR 7 and SR 508 were all closed due to mudslides. The Roadside Inn Tavern, between Glenoma and Randle, had about 4 feet of mud and debris inside. Several homes in Morton were hit by mudslides. Several roads and 2 bridges were damaged.

Debris Flow, Seattle/Bremerton Area

When: January 7, 12:00 PM PST to January 8, 12:00 PM PST
Where: Seattle/Bremerton Area forecast zone
Property damage: $500,000
Reported by: Newspaper

Several landslides blocked roadways in Seattle. A home in Queen Anne was damaged by a mudslide.

Debris Flow, East Puget Sound Lowlands

When: January 7, 12:00 PM PST to January 8, 12:00 PM PST
Where: East Puget Sound Lowlands forecast zone
Property damage: $4.0 million
Reported by: Newspaper

Several landslides blocked roadways in Maple Valley. SR 410 east of Enumclaw was blocked by 4 mudslides. Near Buckley, a water main (transmission pipe) was damaged by a landslide.

Debris Flow, Tacoma Area

When: January 7, 12:00 PM PST to January 8, 12:00 PM PST
Where: Tacoma Area forecast zone
Property damage: $500,000
Reported by: Newspaper

Several landslides blocked several miles of Marine View Drive. One home had to be evacuated as the retaining wall on the property was damaged. Some other homes lost power, when a mudslide knocked down 2 power poles. There were several mudslides at Point Defiance Park.

Flood, Snohomish

When: January 7, 3:00 PM PST to January 10, 8:00 PM PST
Where: Snohomish County, Gold Bar to Arlington
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $6.5 million
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 47.850, -121.700

More than 50 roads in the county were flooded and about 40 were closed, including Highway 9. Highway 530 was closed in multiple locations. Schools in the Stanwood-Camano district were closed for 2 days. Most of Stanwood flooded, even businesses that hadn't flooded in 25 years. Many people were able to evacuate animals before the waters rose, however dozens had to leave via boat. Nearly 500 homes were flooded. Flood waters blew a hole in a dike on Ebey Island.

Flood, Thurston

When: January 7, 6:00 PM PST to January 10, 1:00 AM PST
Where: Thurston County, 5 mi E of Bucoda to 2 mi NE of Bucoda
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $3.2 million
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 46.800, -122.864

There was flooding along the Skookumchuck River, dozens of homes in Bucoda flooded. Several roads in the area were also flooded, including SR 507.

Flood, Lewis

When: January 7, 8:00 PM PST to January 10, 11:00 AM PST
Where: Lewis County, 2 mi N of Chehalis River at Centralia to 2 mi N of Randle
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $8.4 million
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 46.739, -122.980

There was some damage in the town of Randle, mostly businesses that need to replace carpets. Interstate 5 was closed for about 2 days, causing losses of nearly 10 million. Dozens of homes flooded and many people had to be evacuated. More than 50 miles of road surfaces, as well as a water treatment plant, were damaged.

Flood, Skagit

When: January 8, 2:00 PM PST to January 9, 12:00 PM PST
Where: Skagit County, 10 mi E of Allen to 10 mi NNW of Allen
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $2.0 million
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 48.520, -122.162

One home in Allen was partially flooded from Thomas Creek. A business west of Sedro Woolley was flooded. About 30 roads in Skagit county were closed.

What these are

Flood: Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.
Heavy Rain: Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.
Debris Flow: A fast-moving slurry of mud, rock and debris, usually on a slope soaked by heavy rain or stripped by a fire.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Washington in 2009 Every state in 2009 This day in weather history Warnings in Washington, January 2009

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 149539, 148656, 149574, 148699, 148655, 149576, 148701, 148609, 149585, 149586, 149587, 149823, 149575, 148608, 148700.