By the numbers: Record-breaking rain in Seattle area Thursday

CaptionCloseSeattleFeb. 9 precipitation: 1.63 inchesIn a typical February, Seattle sees about 1.2 inches of rain -- all month. But this year, the area has seen 5.46 inches of rain in the first nine days.Pictured: A rainbow is seen from the air, Thursday,...

By the numbers: Record-breaking rain in Seattle area Thursday

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Seattle

Feb. 9 precipitation: 1.63 inches

In a typical February, Seattle sees about 1.2 inches of rain -- all month. But this year, the area has seen 5.46 inches of rain in the first nine days.

Pictured: A rainbow is seen from the air, Thursday, Feb. 9, 2017, north of Seattle near Woodinville. Sun breaks and rain were the rule of the day for the Seattle area, while snow and ice gripped cities further north.

Seattle

Feb. 9 precipitation: 1.63 inches

In a typical February, Seattle sees about 1.2 inches of rain -- all month. But this year, the area has seen 5.46 inches of rain in the first nine days.

Pictured: A rainbow

Washington snow and skiing from yesteryear.

Washington snow and skiing from yesteryear.

Original caption: "COMIN' DOWN THE MOUNTAIN -- This deer, along with others shot high up in the woods near Park Rapids, Minnesota, rides a ski chair lift with its adversaries after the hunt recently. The hunters had good luck in the vicinity of their camp near the top terminal of the lift. To get themselves and their kill down to their cars, they used this direct and easy method." Dec. 5, 1965. AP photo

Original caption: "COMIN' DOWN THE MOUNTAIN -- This deer, along with others shot high up in the woods near Park Rapids, Minnesota, rides a ski chair lift with its adversaries after the hunt recently. The

This uncredited photo shows the base area of Crystal Mountain Resort. Though it's dated Nov. 1 1979, it was likely taken during the 1978-1979 season. While little else in the photo looks the same today, the chapel (foreground left) still stands in roughly the same form as this photo.

This uncredited photo shows the base area of Crystal Mountain Resort. Though it's dated Nov. 1 1979, it was likely taken during the 1978-1979 season. While little else in the photo looks the same today, the

Original caption: "Lots of good powder snow, spectacular scenery, plus modern, comfortable accomodations and facilities -- these are the attractions which Alaska ski resorts offer snow buffs this season. Scene here is at Mt. Aleyeska, near Anchorage, the 49th State's largest ski area. Other facilities are located not only in the Anchorage area, but near Fairbanks and Juneau as well." 1970. No credit.

Original caption: "Lots of good powder snow, spectacular scenery, plus modern, comfortable accomodations and facilities -- these are the attractions which Alaska ski resorts offer snow buffs this season. Scene

Original caption: "Participant in annual Slush Cup Ski festivities at Mount Baker used his head in race traditionally marking end of the ski season. Skiers went down slopes trying to navigate pond of slush at foot of run -- with results like this." July 5, 1967. AP photo.

Original caption: "Participant in annual Slush Cup Ski festivities at Mount Baker used his head in race traditionally marking end of the ski season. Skiers went down slopes trying to navigate pond of slush at

Original caption: "FREESTYLE SKIER -- A competitor in the Third Annual Outdoorsman-Kelly Canyon Freestyle Contest last weekend appears to be soaring off into space in this picture taken Sunday. Hundreds turned out to watch the freestyle, ballet and aerial contests." Feb. 4, 1975. AP photo

Original caption: "FREESTYLE SKIER -- A competitor in the Third Annual Outdoorsman-Kelly Canyon Freestyle Contest last weekend appears to be soaring off into space in this picture taken Sunday. Hundreds turned

Original caption: "Wearing little more than law allows -- except for skis and boots, these summer skiers paused between runs on Whistler Mountain, B.C., where 'off-season' ski camp operates traditionally at this time of year. Even during lean snow years the summer program has been on schedule because classes are held on a year-round glacier." July 9, 1978.

Original caption: "Wearing little more than law allows -- except for skis and boots, these summer skiers paused between runs on Whistler Mountain, B.C., where 'off-season' ski camp operates traditionally at

Original caption: "CLEARING WAY TO STRANDED -- Highway department workers attempt to clear the road on the west side of Steven's Pass Sunday as an avalanche smashed into the summit area killing four persons and injuring six. Slides on both sides of the summit prevented traffic to the avalanche scene." -- Jan. 3, 1971. AP Photo.

Original caption: "CLEARING WAY TO STRANDED -- Highway department workers attempt to clear the road on the west side of Steven's Pass Sunday as an avalanche smashed into the summit area killing four persons and

Original caption: "Sudden refrigeration in Cascades Pond -- An unsuccessful slush cupper is helped from an icy pond in the Cascades Sunday after failing to gain enough speed on a slope to ski across the water. Man at left also failed. The informal competition followed the 16th annual Heather Cup Giant Slalom (held at Mount Baker)." July 7, 1964. AP photo

Original caption: "Sudden refrigeration in Cascades Pond -- An unsuccessful slush cupper is helped from an icy pond in the Cascades Sunday after failing to gain enough speed on a slope to ski across the water.

Original caption: "DIGGING OUT -- WIth daughter Pamela watching, Les Moe, of Yakima, attempted to extricate his cars from huge snowdrifts which piled up during the night as a result of high winds. Winds of up to 31 mph roared through the Yakima Valley Wednesday, closing several roads and knocking out two power lines. The blizzard conditions were also held responsible for a huge 40-car pileup on Interstate 90, 20 miles east of Ellensburg." - Jan. 5, 1974. AP photo.

Original caption: "DIGGING OUT -- WIth daughter Pamela watching, Les Moe, of Yakima, attempted to extricate his cars from huge snowdrifts which piled up during the night as a result of high winds. Winds of up

Original caption: "MORE TO COME -- This is the view that is greeting folks in Spokane today as they shiver with some two feet of snow on the ground. The all-time December snowfall record was shattered this week -- and there's more snow scheduled to come! This scene is typical of the downtown area. Police ordered all cars off the streets Friday night so that shoveling equipment could get to work." -- Dec. 22, 1951. AP Photo

Original caption: "MORE TO COME -- This is the view that is greeting folks in Spokane today as they shiver with some two feet of snow on the ground. The all-time December snowfall record was shattered this week

Original caption: "POOR VISIBILITY -- Highway 24 east of Moxee was closed to traffic shortly after this picture was taken Wednesday afternoon. Strong winds and snow resulted in blizzard conditions which brought the closure of many eastern Washington highways Wednesday, including Interstates 90 and 82." -- Jan. 6, 1974. AP Photo.

Original caption: "POOR VISIBILITY -- Highway 24 east of Moxee was closed to traffic shortly after this picture was taken Wednesday afternoon. Strong winds and snow resulted in blizzard conditions which brought

Original caption: "BIG DRIFTS STOP BUS -- Drifts like this blocked nearly every road when raging blizzard struck Eastern Washington Friday. This bus halted near Idaho-Washington line on U.S. Highway 10, about 18 miles east of (Spokane). Dozens of cars were stalled on both sides fo this drift at the entrance of underpass." - Jan. 20, 1950. AP Photo.

Original caption: "BIG DRIFTS STOP BUS -- Drifts like this blocked nearly every road when raging blizzard struck Eastern Washington Friday. This bus halted near Idaho-Washington line on U.S. Highway 10, about

Original caption: "ROTARY PLOW CLEARS COUNTY ROADS -- Spokane -- A rotary plow bores through heavy snow near Rockford in Spokane County in an attempt to keep roads open. Sixteen inches of snow fell in Spokane between 4 a.m. Friday and noon Saturday, the heaviest snowfall in 58 years of recorded weather bureau history there. The previous record was 14.1 inches, set November 12, 1911." -- Jan. 11, 1950. Chron/AP photo

Original caption: "ROTARY PLOW CLEARS COUNTY ROADS -- Spokane -- A rotary plow bores through heavy snow near Rockford in Spokane County in an attempt to keep roads open. Sixteen inches of snow fell in Spokane

Original caption: "STORM STALL TRAFFIC -- Last week's heavy snowstorm virtually buried hundreds of cars in the Spokane area. Here is one car parked on a downtown street and blocked in by piles of snow." - Dec. 15, 1948. AP photo.

Original caption: "STORM STALL TRAFFIC -- Last week's heavy snowstorm virtually buried hundreds of cars in the Spokane area. Here is one car parked on a downtown street and blocked in by piles of snow." - Dec.

Original caption: "BIG SKY, MONTANA -- It's skiing high in the sky at Big Sky, Montana's Lone Mountain. This newest of destination ski resorts, founded by the lat newscaster Chet Huntley, is entering its third season. The luxury Huntley Lodge, condominiums, and hostels -- 2,000 beds -- shops and apres ski await the skier here at Big Sky." Oct. 21, 1975.

Original caption: "BIG SKY, MONTANA -- It's skiing high in the sky at Big Sky, Montana's Lone Mountain. This newest of destination ski resorts, founded by the lat newscaster Chet Huntley, is entering its third

Original caption: SNOW SETTLED -- This mushroom-like cap was found this week atop a lonely cabin high in the Cascade Mountains near Newhalem, Wash., by a helicopter crew making a snow survey. Pilot T.A. Hall (kneeling beside cabin) said the cabin was completely buried before snow settled during warmer weather, leaving crown on roof." - March 6, 1949

Original caption: SNOW SETTLED -- This mushroom-like cap was found this week atop a lonely cabin high in the Cascade Mountains near Newhalem, Wash., by a helicopter crew making a snow survey. Pilot T.A. Hall

Original caption: "DETERMINED DIGGER -- A man shoveling snow on the south side of Spokane Friday finds that the white stuff accumulates almost as fast as he digs. New snow Friday and Saturday brought ground accumulations to more than two feet, creating traffic jams and a curtailment of garbage service. This man has left his garbage cans on top of the snowbank for garbagemen." -- Feb. 8, 1975. AP Photo.

Original caption: "DETERMINED DIGGER -- A man shoveling snow on the south side of Spokane Friday finds that the white stuff accumulates almost as fast as he digs. New snow Friday and Saturday brought ground

Original caption: "NO BUSES TODAY -- This Yakima bus slid to a halt in big snowstorm that paralyzed transportation in the city. Bus driver E.L. Likely was assisted by city workmen, but he and his bus were still stuck for several hours. Later the bus line closed down operations. The little traffic that was moving crawled through 21 inches of snow, 12 of which fell since midnight Sunday." - Dec. 24, 1964. AP photo.

Original caption: "NO BUSES TODAY -- This Yakima bus slid to a halt in big snowstorm that paralyzed transportation in the city. Bus driver E.L. Likely was assisted by city workmen, but he and his bus were still

Original caption: "Sunshine and powder snow, that's the kind of stuff that dreams are made of, especially by Western Washington skiers who generally enjoy their sport in heavy snow under cloudy skies. Here Bob Loughrey, manager of the Bogus Basin resort near Boise, Idaho, is caught by the camera as he kicks up a flurry of powder skimming down the Deer Point run." Jan. 23, 1969. Bogus Basin photo.

Original caption: "Sunshine and powder snow, that's the kind of stuff that dreams are made of, especially by Western Washington skiers who generally enjoy their sport in heavy snow under cloudy skies. Here Bob

Note on photo: "Skiing near the top of Langlie Run, Big Mountain (Whitefish, Montana)." Feb. 23, 1951.

Note on photo: "Skiing near the top of Langlie Run, Big Mountain (Whitefish, Montana)." Feb. 23, 1951.

Original caption: "Mt. Alyeska, Alaska -- PACKING COURSE -- Members of ski patrol and volutneers sideslip the giant slalom course at Mt. Alyeska in preparation for the World Cup races Wednesday. Mens and womens giant slalom will be held at Mt. Alyeska Wednesday and Thursday." March 7, 1973. AP Photo

Original caption: "Mt. Alyeska, Alaska -- PACKING COURSE -- Members of ski patrol and volutneers sideslip the giant slalom course at Mt. Alyeska in preparation for the World Cup races Wednesday. Mens and womens

Sun Valley, Idaho, winter 1971-1972. Promo photo.

Sun Valley, Idaho, winter 1971-1972. Promo photo.

Stamped on photo: "Simple figures are taught in group instruction: picture shows the beginning of the Royal Swing." Nov. 15, 1977. Photo: Swiss National Tourist Office.

Stamped on photo: "Simple figures are taught in group instruction: picture shows the beginning of the Royal Swing." Nov. 15, 1977. Photo: Swiss National Tourist Office.

After getting literally soaked by more than 1.6 inches of rain Thursday, Seattle got a breather Friday.

But Thursday's measurement -- a grand total of 1.63 inches -- made it the wettest February day in Seattle in 21 years, according to the National Weather Service.

The winds seen across the region today are set to ease off as days turns to evening, and the weekend looks to be mostly dry, according to forecasts.

After claiming the life of a motorist, causing scattered power outages and wreaking havoc on travel plans for airline passengers and motorists, the brunt of an ice storm was expected to roll through the Great Plains and Midwest this weekend. The Weather Service said ice, freezing rain and winter storm warnings and advisories remained in effect for Saturday and Sunday from northern Texas, east across parts of the Midwest and into the Washington D.C. area.

Still, Thursday was a real whopper for the weather history books, and not just in Seattle.

Snow, freezing rain and sliding snow made the mountain passes impassable, even for state road crews in some areas. And the rain made for slides and flooding across Western Washington.

We gathered the numbers from a a dozen weather stations around the area to give you a glimpse into just how much water came out of the sky Thursday. Click through to see just how wet one of Washington's wettest days was.

Our editors found this article on this site using Google and regenerated it for our readers.

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