2 inches of rain pound Connell. Downtown streets flood

Monday afternoon’s rainstorm that swept through much of Eastern Washington made big waves in downtown Connell.

Soon after the storm dumped more than 2 inches of rain on the North Franklin County town of about 5,500, city police were asking drivers to avoid the downtown area.

“You are creating more flooding problems from the waves your vehicles are making!” said the post.

The National Weather Service in Pendleton issued a flood advisory for areas along Highway 395 through northern Franklin County, Connell, Mesa, Eltopia, Basin City and the northeastern part of the Hanford nuclear reservation.

The same weather system darkened Tri-City skies with clouds and added some menacing thunder and lightning.

A funnel cloud was reported farther east near Pullman.

The weather service predicts more rain, both in the Tri-Cities and Connell through Wednesday. Less than a tenth of an inch of rain is possible Wednesday.

This story was originally published May 18, 2020 at 7:06 PM.