Significant flooding impacts areas around the Inland Northwest after weekend snowmelt
Because of rapid snowmelt combined with rain, U.S. Highway 2 west of Fairchild Air Force Base was closed because of flooding over the roadway Monday. The Washington State Department of Transportation pumped water off the roadway before reopening it Monday afternoon. Traffic was diverted on to Dover Road for an alternate route around the road closure. (COLIN MULVANY/THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW)
Areas of the Inland Northwest were flooding Sunday evening and Monday morning, leading to multiple road closures and forcing maintenance crews to pump water from covered highways.
The flooding temporarily closed U.S. Highway 2 west of Fairchild Air Force Base, the Washington State Department of Transportation announced Monday.
Rain is expected in some areas of the region on Tuesday, though the showers won’t be as heavy as during the weekend.
The most notable weather forecast for Tuesday is wind gusts of 45 to 55 mph across the Palouse, West Plains and Spokane area.
The National Weather Service warned of the potential for falling trees and power outages.
On Monday, other highways in Eastern Washington reopened after they were closed Sunday evening, such as state Route 27 near Oakesdale.
Some highways have water on the roadways but are still passable, according WSDOT.
A number of road closures are still in place in Spokane County following the wet weekend. Starr Road was closed Monday afternoon near the intersection with Bradshaw Road after flooding washed out a culvert and left a large crevasse in the roadway, according to Spokane County Public Works. North Pine Creek Road remains closed at the intersection with Griffith Road, and the same is true for Cheney-Plaza Road between Wells Road and state Route 195. Jensen Road also remains closed, from state Route 904 to Murphy Road.
The old state Route 195 was reopened Monday afternoon after the water running down it Sunday cleared up, according to Spokane County.
In Whitman and Latah counties, flooding completely covered local roads. Pullman Police Department posted on Facebook that North Grand Avenue between Ritchie and Nye streets continually closed and reopened due to water levels, but as of Monday afternoon, it was open.
A Washington State University professor also posted on X Monday that the Pine Street Bridge in Pullman moved 8 feet due to water levels, which is a feature of the bridge’s construction in order to better handle flooding.
Power was restored to residents in and around Palouse and Potlatch, Idaho, on Monday, after downed trees severed power to about 2,000 Avista customers Sunday, according to the utility’s website.
Idaho Public Radio posted on Facebook that Paradise Creek swelled with water Sunday but receded Monday.