King County Flood Warning Center issues Phase 3 flood alert for Snoqualmie River as powerful rainstorm continues

January 13, 2021

Summary

The King County Flood Warning Center issued a Phase 3 flood alert for the rain-swollen Snoqualmie River at 2:15 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 13, as a powerful winter rainstorm continued to push river flows higher.

Story

the King County Flood Warning Center issued a Phase 3 flood alert level for the Snoqualmie River at 2:15 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 13, Following several hours of steady rainfall, with moderate and possibly widespread flooding likely along portions of the Snoqualmie River. 

The Flood Warning Center opened at midday on Jan. 12 to monitor minor flood flows on the Tolt and Snoqualmie Rivers. As of 2:15 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 13, the sum of the Snoqualmie River’s three forks was 20,480 cubic feet per second (CFS), just above the Phase 3 flood alert threshold of 20,000 CFS for the Snoqualmie. At these flows, significant flooding could occur in low-lying areas along the river’s course – including floodwaters over roadways. 

Flows on the Tolt River at 2:15 a.m. were 3,740 CFS, slightly higher than the Phase 2 flood alert threshold of 3,500 CFS, and likely to cause only minor impacts in low-lying areas along the river upstream of Carnation. 

Flood Warning Center employees following COVID-19 safety precautions implemented at the beginning of the 2020-21 flood season in October are monitoring stream gauges and weather reports to provide updated information on river conditions as necessary. Real-time river level information is available online at kingcounty.gov/flood.

During river flooding events, King County serves as a clearinghouse for information on flood conditions, operating a recorded message center with continuous updates of river gauge readings and flood phases and other related information. Reach the Flood Warning Center at 206-296-8200 or 1-800-945-9263. Interpreter assistance in multiple languages is available.

King County offers everyone free access to KC Flood Alerts, an automated system that allows subscribers to receive customized alerts of potential flooding for any or all of King County’s seven major river systems.

Immediate notifications about pending high water are sent to email, smart phone text or voicemail, providing subscribers with the maximum amount of warning about potential high water.

Find the KC Flood Alerts link at kingcounty.gov/flood. This website is a valuable preparedness resource, with all of the latest information about river levels and road conditions, plus weather reports and other critical links.

Questions or assistance with flooding on smaller streams or urban drainage problems can be called in to 206-477-4811 during business hours, or 206-477-8100 after hours or on weekends.

Problems on County maintained roads can be reported by calling 206-477-8100 or 1-800-KC-ROADS.

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The King County Flood Control District is a special purpose government created to provide funding and policy oversight for flood protection projects and programs in King County. The Flood Control District’s Board is composed of the members of the King County Council. The Water and Land Resources Division of the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks develops and implements the approved flood protection projects and programs. Information is available at kingcountyfloodcontrol.org.