Good News Bad News

The good news is that a low pressure storm raged into the Northwest bringing warmth and rain. That warmth and rain have melted most of the snow at lower elevations, freeing us from winter's white grip. 

The bad news is that a low pressure storm raged into the Northwest bringing warmth and rain that have melted most of the snow at lower elevations, and much of the snow at higher elevations. That combined with the very high amount of rain that has softened the already water-logged soils, is causing mudslides and flooding. 

As I went in to work this morning there was water over the county road that runs along the top of my ridge. Top. How can a road that is just about the highest thing around flood? The river that runs alongside the state route between my area and the freeway was within inches of the road, well over its banks. Fields were now ponds and rivers. I continued on nervously - not turning back because the Illinois company I work for thinks the Washington folks are all a bunch of wimps who aren't dedicated to work since we stayed home during the recent snow storms. I love my job and want to keep it.

By 1:00 the Dept. of Transportation was threatening to close down I-5, so I left work on a mad dash back home. I beat the freeway closure, and the 5 or 6 places where the state route was flooded were still shallow enough to drive through. If I had been 1/2 hour later I would not have made it home. 

I'm very glad to be back up on my hill, looking over the valley, watching the rain. I've just driven through a county underwater. Rumor has it this is the worst flood event since the 1930s in the county my sister lives in. It looks worse here than last year, except we had warning and the floods are coming in relatively slowly.

Looking for that door into summer.