Mudslide Halts Northbound I-5 Traffic Near Bellingham After Intense Rainfall
The northbound lanes were shut down shortly before 5 a.m., stranding traffic for three miles with no immediate reopening in sight, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT).
The National Weather Service reported that over an inch of rain fell at Bellingham Airport in under an hour, totaling more than two inches within six hours. The quick and heavy downpour was caused by unstable atmospheric conditions, which resulted in localized bands of intense rainfall.WSDOT deployed a specialized tow truck to free a stranded semi-truck stuck in mud and vegetation covering the highway. The cleanup process remains underway, and officials have yet to provide an estimated time for reopening the northbound lanes.Harrison Rademacher, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, explained that rainfall intensity varied sharply across the region. Bellingham Airport recorded almost four times more precipitation than nearby Ferndale, just five miles away. The heaviest rainfall was reported in Lynden, eight miles to the northeast, with 2.9 inches measured over 24 hours.
The Seattle metro area experienced less rainfall overall, with amounts ranging between 0.5 and 1 inch, while areas along the west slopes of the Cascades reported accumulations exceeding 1.5 inches. By 7:30 a.m., Bellingham had already logged its wettest October 27 on record, and the second-wettest October day overall, with additional rainfall expected in the afternoon.Scientists caution that these types of intense storms are likely to increase in frequency and severity due to climate change, as warming temperatures enhance the water-holding capacity of the atmosphere. The Northwest, known for its landslide-prone terrain, may face more frequent and severe mudslides in the future.
The northbound lanes were shut down shortly before 5 a.m., stranding traffic for three miles with no immediate reopening in sight, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT).
The National Weather Service reported that over an inch of rain fell at Bellingham Airport in under an hour, totaling more than two inches within six hours. The quick and heavy downpour was caused by unstable atmospheric conditions, which resulted in localized bands of intense rainfall.WSDOT deployed a specialized tow truck to free a stranded semi-truck stuck in mud and vegetation covering the highway. The cleanup process remains underway, and officials have yet to provide an estimated time for reopening the northbound lanes.Harrison Rademacher, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, explained that rainfall intensity varied sharply across the region. Bellingham Airport recorded almost four times more precipitation than nearby Ferndale, just five miles away. The heaviest rainfall was reported in Lynden, eight miles to the northeast, with 2.9 inches measured over 24 hours.The Seattle metro area experienced less rainfall overall, with amounts ranging between 0.5 and 1 inch, while areas along the west slopes of the Cascades reported accumulations exceeding 1.5 inches. By 7:30 a.m., Bellingham had already logged its wettest October 27 on record, and the second-wettest October day overall, with additional rainfall expected in the afternoon.Scientists caution that these types of intense storms are likely to increase in frequency and severity due to climate change, as warming temperatures enhance the water-holding capacity of the atmosphere. The Northwest, known for its landslide-prone terrain, may face more frequent and severe mudslides in the future.
