Flooding, slides halt Amtrak service near Portland, Seattle

The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for much of northwest OR and southwest Washington.

Portland’s combined sewer system has also been badly affected. It’s in effect through Thursday afternoon, but rain likely won’t stop until the week’s end.

A powerful Pacific storm system continues to drench parts of OR, while crews in Portland work to clear flooded roads and evacuate people from flooded homes this week. Several landslides have also closed a road in the Portland hills.

In an updated version of the flood watch issued Monday afternoon, forecasters warned that flooding is possible on mid-valley rivers and listed the Marys and the Luckiamute as “rivers of concern”.

In Lake Oswego, three drivers were stuck in high water along Fielding Road.

Local television footage showed flooding on major streets through Portland, including the upscale residential and shopping Pearl District, where cars were stranded in high water.

Driving rain caused flooding and landslides in Western Oregon and southwestern Washington state Monday.

Clinton Rockey, a forecaster for the National Weather Service in Portland, said rainfall for the 24-hours ending at 2 p.m. Monday at Portland International Airport of 3.32 inches shattered the old 24-hour December record of 2.59 inches set on December 12-13, 1977.

Bus and light rail service in the Portland area has been delayed. Some will recede Tuesday only to rise to higher levels on Tuesday night and Wednesday.

It was the wettest day in December that Portland has ever experienced, and the third-wettest day in the city’s history, according to KATU News.

The service predicts waves could break on shore at up to 40 feet high — higher than a two-story building — tossing logs and debris on shore.

Even more rain is scheduled to fall in the region on Wednesday and into Thursday.

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