Historic flooding strikes Palouse region, overruns Pullman streets amid spring deluge

Posted on by Jacob Jones

Intense rains sent Missouri Flat Creek surging into Pullman streets on Tuesday night, spilling flood waters down North Grand Avenue and into neighboring businesses.

The National Weather Service reported Pullman received .77 inches of rainfall in the previous 24 hours with more than an inch in areas just outside the city. The South Fork of the Palouse River through downtown crested at 7.02 feet, just above minor flood stage and the highest mark since the devastating 1996 and 1997 floods. Only seven dates since 1910 had higher crests.

National Weather Service

The Pullman-Moscow Airport measured 1.21 inches of rainfall Tuesday, a record for that date.

The latest NWS hydrological outlook shows Palouse regional rivers dropping until Saturday with minor increases over the weekend as new rain systems move into the area. The “flashy” Paradise Creek will be under close monitoring.

“In addition to rises on rivers and streams, there will be the increasing potential for rock and mud slides in areas with steep terrain with saturated soils,” the report states.

Many businesses in Pullman (and Moscow) face a daunting cleanup after being inundated with up to three feet of water. We’ll be looking to document the long-term impact and costs as that information becomes available.

For now, here’s a look at some of the images and video we captured of the North Grand flooding as well as additional coverage of the damage:

When Daily News photographers could not get to Pullman, Whitman County Watch provided a few photos to help with their coverage. You can see their story and photo slideshow here.

The Spokesman also has reporters covering the clean-up efforts today.