Threat Of Landslides High, National Weather Service Warns

SEATTLE, WA - The National Weather Service in Seattle has issued a special weather statement warning of increased risk of landslides this week. The warning comes after heavy rains soaked soil over the weekend.

The rain will continue during the day Monday, but should taper off by Tuesday, according to forecasts. The landslide threat is elevated for the entire Puget Sound region, from Bellingham to Olympia.

"Rainfall of up to 2 to 5 inches over the lowlands and foothills of western Washington in the past several days has once again increased soil moisture to high levels. Light to moderate showers are expected today that could add up to only a half an inch to an inch in some places. But with these wet soils that could be enough to trigger a landslide or two. This elevated threat will persist through Tuesday, before slowly decreasing over the following few days," the NWS said in a statement Monday.

At least two landslides have caused delays locally. Sound Transit Sounder service was canceled Monday morning near Everett due to a mudslide over the tracks. There was also a slide reportedly blocking the Burke-Gilman Trail in Seattle.

Caption: City of Seattle engineers inspect a landslide that blocked Rainier Avenue in February 2017.

File photo by Neal McNamara/Patch