Washington is a place of many changes. We have our rain, our wind, our sun, our snow... our rain.... Washington, Northwest to be specific, is home to many rivers, streams, lakes and other waterways. Some water ways we only see once a few decades.
In the last 48 hours, Arlington, in a place nick-named Island Crossing, has been transformed. In what used to be a busy highway, while restaurants and businesses on either side, there is now a lake. Once frequented restaurants are now flooded. Homes have been vacated. Cattle have been moved to higher pastures. Long standing residents have been quoted saying that "flooding like this hasn't been seen is decades" and one lady said "maybe 20 years".
I live a few miles from Arlington. Just one exit away. My particular street hasn't seen very much water accumulation, but we are a little bit higher than some. Some surrounding properties, many have fields, are flooded. Thankfully, only a few have had the misfortune of the water encroaching their living spaces. Many have barns that are flooded. Yards became lake beds. And this is just what is in my ten mile radius.
Now, the story becomes more dire if you head south. The city of Snohomish is under water. Parts of Interstate 5 have been shut down. Main highways are barricaded. Bridges are invisible.
And further south, towards Chehalis and Duvall, have seen horrible conditions.
This is the worst flooding, and the quickest, many have seen in many years. This is because we have been hit with heavy rains, especially in the passes (16 plus in some areas) in 48 hours. When you couple that with the depth of snow accumulation that is now being caused to melt quickly, the rivers had no choice.
Thank goodness for my home.
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