Sunday downpour floods parts of downtown Tacoma

The News Tribune | Nicole Gaddie

Milder weather this week likely will mean no repeat of the minor flooding that left parts of downtown Tacoma soggy Sunday night.

The National Weather Service measured 0.32 inch of rain Sunday at the Sea-Tac Airport station.

Only scattered rain and cloudy skies are expected Tuesday and Wednesday, with sunny weather expected Thursday as part of “a nice warming trend that should take us through the weekend,” Weather Service meteorologist Art Gaebel said.

Weather-wise, that would be a big improvement for businesses near the University of Washington Tacoma campus and Pacific Avenue that were left awash about 10 p.m. Sunday.

“I saw water about 6 inches high coming over the curb outside our restaurant,” said Dan Crossman, an employee of Harmon Brewery & Eatery, 1938 Pacific Ave. “It started to seep into our lobby just as we were closing.”

William Guy of Tacoma described the scene at the UWT.

“The water came down the steps, and it looked like Class 5 rapids,” he said.

The evening took a turn for the wet as water rushed down 21st Street and onto the UWT campus, taking landscaping and beauty bark with it. The debris eventually made its way to Pacific Avenue, where it clogged storm drains, causing water to rise and filter into street-side businesses.

Within an hour, Tacoma police had closed nearby streets. Cutters Point Coffee, University Bookstore and Market Street apartments experienced flooding, though none sustained severe damage.

“We’re not the only area in Tacoma that got hit,” said Hugh Smith, the university’s maintenance coordinator. “But we’re lucky to be cleaning it up right away.”