The Pacific Northwest is bracing for rounds of showers and mountain snow early this week as a surge of moisture from an atmospheric river moves into the region.
BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Crews are working to clear debris on Interstate 5 Sunday morning after a landslide left a widespread path of debris, closing part of the major highway south of the Washington–Canadian border.
Washington Department of Transportation (WDOT) officials said all lanes of northbound I-5 north of Iowa Street in Bellingham were closed around 5:45 a.m. PT after the landslide. The weather event unfolded about 1 hour north of Seattle.
About two hours after the landslide, WDOT said northbound I-5 remains closed in Bellingham with no estimated time for reopening. WDOT warned of significant rainfall and possible flooding on local roads.
Landslides are common in mountainous areas and can be triggered by rainfall.
According to the National Weather Service in Seattle, Bellingham Airport recorded more than 2 inches of rain over two hours on Sunday morning, marking the town’s second-wettest October day on record.
A photo shared by the state agency showed a tractor-trailer in the middle of the debris field, along with trees and mud strewn across the highway.
“Crews are on scene working to clear debris and fix damage to barriers and walls. Southbound I-5 in this area is also impacted, though not closed at this time,” WDOT wrote on Facebook.