Famously soggy Seattle sees its wettest fall on record
SEATTLE – Seattle, a city known for soggy weather, has seen its wettest fall on record.
The National Weather Service says 19.04 inches of rain fell between Sept. 1 and Nov. 30, breaking a record set in 2006.
A series of wet storms caused by socalled “atmospheric rivers” pounded the Pacific Northwest, causing widespread flooding and damage. Atmospheric rivers are huge plumes of moisture over the Pacific that carry water from oceans onto land.
“It’s really been incredible for Seattle. I think what’s really been interesting is that we have just had atmospheric river after atmospheric river after atmospheric river, which is something that you usually don’t see even in a very wet place like Seattle,” said Justin Shaw, who runs the Seattle Weather Blog.
Areas north of Seattle were hit especially hard. The city of Bellingham recorded 23.55 inches of rain from Sept. 1 to Nov. 30, 6.5 inches more than the previous high. Officials have said damages from November flooding in Whatcom County. which includes Bellingham, could reach as high as $50 million.