This is a printer friendly version of an article from the The Olympian.
To print this article open the file menu and choose Print.

[Back]

Published November 17, 2009

Flooding possible on Chehalis River

VENICE BUHAIN; The Olympian

Major flooding of the Chehalis River is a possibility in Thurston and Grays Harbor counties this morning, as rain and wind blew through Western Washington overnight.

Projections indicate the Chehalis River gauge at Grand Mound will reach flood stage of 14 feet around mid-day and crest around 16.3 feet by tonight, according to Thurston County Emergency Services.

The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch, which means that flooding is possible but not imminent or certain.

“It’s highly dependent on rainfall in the Olympics,” said Kathy Estes, Thurston County Emergency Management Coordinator.

Estes said that rainfall in the Olympic Mountain Range could cause a backup of water into the Chehalis River.

Urban and small stream flooding is also a possibility, she said.

Meteorologists with the National Weather Service predicted southwest winds of 10 to 13 mph which would increase to between 26 and 29 mph, with gusts of up to 44 mph in Thurston County on Monday night, according to the National Weather Service. The winds were expected to die down this morning.

On Monday sustained winds of below 20 mph and gusts of up to 30 mph blew through the Olympia Airport, according to National Weather Service data.

Puget Sound Energy spokesman Andy Wappler said that Thurston County experienced small neighborhood outages Monday morning, but nothing widespread.

The heaviest winds Monday night were expected in counties in the north part of Western Washington – near Bellingham, Skagit County, and Whidbey Island, Wappler said.

Venice Buhain: 360-754-5445

vbuhain@theolympian.com