Heavy rains and wind are forecasted for Western Washington this week, and there’s a potential for flooding in many parts of unincorporated King County.
The King County Flood Warning Center anticipates flooding will occur in areas along the Snoqualmie and Tolt rivers and could affect other rivers. River gauge data can be found here. For the latest flood phase information, visit kingcounty.gov/flood.
Heavy rains also bring the risk of landslides.
If you are in unincorporated King County, below is a list of tips and resources to help you navigate intense weather.
Sandbags are available
- Sandbags are available for filling for free at several locations in King County. For more information, visit the Sandbag distribution and use page.
Stay informed and stay safe
- Contact the 24/7 Road Helpline at 206-477-8100 if you see something on the road
- Do NOT drive over flooded roads or standing water. For more information, visit the National Weather Service’s Turn Around Don’t Drown page.
- For the most up-to-date information on road closures and lane restrictions in unincorporated King County, visit the MyCommute page (kingcounty.gov/MyCommute).
- To report road maintenance and safety issues in unincorporated King County such as down stop signs, signals that are out, and trees in the roadway, contact our 24/7 Road Helpline at 206-477-8100. This line is staffed 24/7.
- Road Services maintenance crews are working 24/7 during this storm to patrol our roads and respond to emergencies.
Landslides
Landslides are also an increasing threat as hillsides become saturated with water. The King County Office of Emergency Management offers these signs of an impending landslide:
- Bulging ground at the base of a slope
- Outside walls, walkways, or stairs pulling away from structures
- Widening cracks in the ground or on paved areas such as streets or driveways
- New cracks appearing in plaster, tile, brick, or foundations
- Water breaking through the ground in new locations
- Fences, retaining walls, utility poles, or trees tilting or moving
Visit kingcounty.gov/landslide for more information.
Power outages
If you experience a power outage, you can contact your provider by going to:
- Puget Sound Energy outage map/Report an outage
- Seattle City Light – View and report outages
- Tanner Electric – Outage map
Downed trees (not on a road in unincorporated King County)
- If the downed tree is on a power line
- Report to power company or call 911
- Call PSE at 1-888-225-5773
- Call SPU at (206) 684-3000
- If the downed tree is on private property
- This is the property owner’s responsibility
- If the tree has fallen from King County property onto or blocking private property
- This depends, customers can file a claim with King County at this link
For more preparedness information, go to takewinterbystorm.org.
King County Local 