Flood watch starts Wednesday for Thurston and surrounding counties
A light dusting of snow and sub-freezing temperatures greeted Olympians Tuesday morning, but meteorologists expect a quick return to the latest pattern of rain, rain, and more rain.
The National Weather Service in Seattle has issued a flood watch for Wednesday morning through Friday afternoon for over a dozen counties, including Grays Harbor, Lewis, Mason, Pierce, and Thurston counties.
“The concern over the next two or three days is going to be heavy rain across the area,” Logan Johnson, a meteorologist with NWS, told The Olympian.
Johnson said several inches of rain are expected between Tuesday afternoon and early Friday morning, with the highest amount falling on the hills and mountains.
But even the lowlands could see an inch or two, Johnson said.
Rivers already are running high, and they are once again expected to rise with the new rainfall. As of Tuesday afternoon, NWS expected the most rain over the central Cascades — flood potential would be highest in rivers flowing out of the Cascades in Snohomish, King, and Pierce counties.
But other rivers could reach flood stage, according to NWS. And Johnson warned that urban flooding also is possible.
“Even if you’re not on the rivers, you want to be aware of this heavy rain and urban flooding,” Johnson said.
And, with the ground saturated, landslides are an ongoing concern.
A ray of hope: Sunshine next appears in the forecast Sunday, when NWS projects mostly sunny skies and a high of about 49 degrees.
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