Three new Sound Transit stations will open in south King County this weekend, expanding light rail service deeper into Seattle's suburbs.

Why it matters: If you've ever driven from Seattle to Federal Way during rush hour, you might be glad there's a new train for that — and it's scheduled to run every eight minutes during peak times.

The big picture: The extension of light rail to the Federal Way area fulfills a promise originally made 17 years ago with Sound Transit 2, a ballot measure local voters passed in 2008.

• But the financial woes of the Great Recession put those plans on hold. Voters were later asked to approve more funding for the Federal Way extension, which they did with the Sound Transit 3 package in 2016.

State of play: The new stations at Kent Des Moines, Star Lake and Federal Way Downtown will open Saturday, providing service to Highline College as well as some of Federal Way's main shopping areas.

• After that, the only unfinished light rail projects from the Sound Transit 2 package will be the East Link connection across Lake Washington from Seattle to Bellevue, which is scheduled to open next year, Sound Transit spokesperson David Jackson told Axios.

Between the lines: Until recently, it looked as if the Federal Way extension also wouldn't open until 2026 — but this summer, Sound Transit announced plans to move up the opening slightly.

What they're saying: "I always thought hell would freeze over before Federal Way got light rail," King County Councilmember Pete von Reichbauer said in a written statement this year, calling the expedited opening "an early Christmas gift."

What to expect: Service to the new stations will begin at 11am Saturday, with riders able to catch trains into Seattle and as far north as Lynnwood.

• A celebration and ribbon cutting will begin at 9:30 am at the Federal Way Downtown station, while food trucks, performances and family activities are scheduled at all three stations from 11am-3pm.
• "It's going to be a big party," Jackson said.

What's next: Several additional light rail projects that voters approved through the Sound Transit 3 package in 2016 have yet to break ground.

• As construction costs are projected to balloon, local officials are discussing how to complete those light rail extensions, which include plans to run trains to Ballard, West Seattle, Everett and Tacoma.

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Grab your rain gear and clean out those gutters: it's about to get very soggy.

A series of rainstorms and multiple atmospheric rivers are lining up to land each day from today through at least next Wednesday, according to Dustin Guy of the National Weather Service in Seattle.

• The heaviest rainfall is expected early next week with arrival of the atmospheric rivers, Guy told Axios.

Seattle could see up to 4 inches of rain over the next six days while the Cascade and Olympic mountains could get up to 10 inches, per the weather service.

Gusty winds, "astronomically high tides" and the possibility of rapidly rising rivers have forecasters watching for coastal flooding, interior river flooding and landslides, Guy said.

• Snow levels will hover around 4,000–5,000 feet to start, rising toward 6,000 feet early next week, meaning mostly rain at the passes.

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💰 Seattle's Office of Labor Standards says Amazon has agreed to pay more than $3.7 million to nearly 11,000 workers to resolve allegations that the company violated city gig-worker protection ordinances during the pandemic. (GeekWire)

Kevin Coe, once known as the "South Hill rapist" and suspected of dozens of assaults in Spokane, died yesterday in Federal Way just weeks after his court-ordered release from civil commitment. (Seattle Times)

A norovirus that causes extreme vomiting has been on the rise.

Why it matters: Nicknamed the "winter vomiting disease," the highly contagious norovirus arrived weeks ahead of expectations, per the CDC.

• It's surging as cases of whooping cough, or pertussis, are spiking and the dangers of COVID and flu loom.
• The sickness could require medical attention or even hospitalization for immunocompromised people, the elderly and little kids, the CDC says.

By the numbers: About 14% of tests for norovirus came back positive during the week of Nov. 15, double the roughly 7% positivity three months prior, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Zoom in: Because health care providers are not required to report patients diagnosed with norovirus to public health in Washington, the state does not have statistics on how many cases are currently occurring, Department of Health spokesperson Mark Johnson told Axios.

• But cases do typically peak in the winter months, per Johnson.

Context: Norovirus is super contagious and spreads quickly, according to multiple health officials, mainly through drops of body fluids or contact with contaminated surfaces or food.

• It is the top cause of vomiting and diarrhea, per the CDC.
• Norovirus is different than the "stomach bug" or "stomach flu," and is not related to the flu, which comes from the influenza virus.
• The virus can linger for several days or weeks, and spread quickly through highly populated environments like nursing homes, day care centers and cruise ships, the AMA reports.

Anyone who consumes raw oysters or other filter-feeding shellfish could be at risk for contracting the norovirus, according to the CDC.

The bottom line: Public Health-Seattle & King County says the best way to protect yourself is by thoroughly washing your hands.

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