Portland Thunderstorm Turns Laurelhurst Streets Into Ponds

The National Weather Service says three-quarters of an inch fell in 40 minutes.

Northeast 28th Avenue flooded on Sept. 12, 2018. (Paul Burdick)
By Aaron Mesh

You're not exaggerating: That was a big ol' thunderstorm that passed through Portland.

Autumn came in with a bang tonight to a parched city, and the long-suffering folks at the National Weather Service's Portland office were measuring the relief.

The deluge was a welcome reprieve for a city that has suffered through a record number of hot days, wildfire smoke so thick it was unhealthy to step outside, and the driest summer in 40 years.

The first big rainstorm of the season typically overwhelms unmaintained storm drains. That's exactly what happened in Laurelhurst tonight, where intersections were flooded thigh-deep in standing water.

Here's a theory for you to disregard: Are millennials killing storm drains?

Portland's weirdest weatherman, the Unipiper, was on scene to document the sudden ponds.

So long, summer. Time to clean out the gutters and get ready for rain.

At least now the weather is right for a warm, hearty bowl of sooooooooOOOOOOOOOOHHHHH NO

Boxer Ramen (WW Staff)

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