LAKE STEVENS — A downpour that lasted about an hour Thursday caused flooding and kept road crews busy well into the next day.
Nearly two-thirds of an inch of rain fell in Lake Stevens on Thursday, according to the National Weather Service. Some parts of the community saw as much as two inches, said spokeswoman Meghan Jordan with Snohomish County Public Works. Much of that fell between 7:30 and 8:30 p.m., meteorologist Jay Albrecht said.
Multiple property owners called the fire department worried about the flooding. A woman said her driveway had washed out. A stretch of Sunnyside Boulevard west of Lake Stevens was closed around 9:30 p.m. Debris had blocked one of the culverts, causing a 60-foot-wide pool of water to cover the road, said David Petersen, assistant fire marshal with Fire District 8 in Lake Stevens.
Water and debris flowed along almost every roadway, gully and driveway, Petersen said. The storm drains were at maximum capacity. Hail hit some areas in town. Petersen was caught in a hail storm near Market Place and Highway 9 on his way home from work.
School buses were unable to follow their usual routes Friday, according to the Lake Stevens School District. Sunnyside Boulevard remained closed into the afternoon.
Lake Stevens crews cleaned up after a small landslide and minor flooding along roadways, city spokeswoman Beth Braun said. They also were taking a look at a storm drain Friday that may have ruptured.
“The piping couldn’t handle that amount of water,” Braun said.
City road crews hope to re-open the road Friday night.
Other areas of Snohomish County also saw heavy rainfall Thursday evening. Lake Bosworth had more than an inch of rain, while Machias stopped just shy of an inch.
Petersen suggested that people stay up to date on storms and flooding through the Weather Service. If an evacuation order is issued, Petersen said to head for higher ground.
In the meantime, “avoid roads that have been closed due to flooding,” Petersen said. “If you find an alternate route, it may take a little longer but it is the safer route.”
Caitlin Tompkins: 425-339-3192; ctompkins@heraldnet.com.
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