Heavy rain, gusty winds to arrive Thursday in Thurston County. And more is on the way
Get out your rain gear. Olympia will experience wet, windy weather Thursday and Friday and later this weekend.
Moderate to heavy rain and gusty winds are forecast for the lowland regions of Western Washington on Thursday. This will lead to slick road conditions and minor flooding in areas with poor drainage, according to the National Weather Service in Seattle.
“This swath of moisture will slowly shift from the north to the south on Thursday, as well with breezy winds throughout our region,” the NWS says. “Right now, strongest winds will likely be located along the coastal regions and into the northern interior.”
In the Olympia area, the forecast says winds may reach 20 miles per hour Thursday with gusts up to 29 miles per hour. This could cause tree limb damage and localized power outages, the NWS said.
AccuWeather predicts at least five storms will move across the northern Pacific and pass over the Northwest into early November. This will bring bouts of heavy rain and mountain snow separated by one to two days of drier weather.
“As a strong cold front moves through, the jet stream will quickly sink out of Canada and well south of the region, allowing polar air to spill southward and eastward,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Mike LeSeney said.
Between Thursday and Friday mornings, up to a half-inch of rain will descend upon the Olympia and Tacoma areas, according to a NWS forecast. Up to 1 inch of rain may fall in the Shelton area.
Heavier rains are expected on the Olympic Peninsula.
In mountainous areas, the NWS says heavy rain could cause flash flooding or debris flows from area burn scars.
Showery conditions will likely continue Friday and linger into Saturday, according to the forecast. But the NWS predicts another round of heavy rain and strong winds on Sunday and Monday.
Temperatures will reach the high 50s on Thursday before dropping to the mid-40s overnight. Similar temperatures will continue through Sunday, per the NWS.
As of Wednesday, the Olympia area had seen 1.62 inches of rain in October when it would normally see about 3.99 inches. Though lower than usual, this amount still surpasses the record low of 0.02 set in 1987, according to NWS data.
At 55.5 degrees, the data show the average observed temperature this month has been warmer than the normal average of 51 degrees. Still, that temperature doesn’t quite reach the record high of 56.5 degrees set in 2014.
With the prospect of more dangerous winter storms on the horizon, Thurston County has been advising residents to sign up for emergency alerts and consider getting flood insurance before it’s too late.
Since 1962, there have been 19 federal disaster declarations in Thurston County due to flooding, according to a county news release.
“With an average annual rainfall of 50 inches, floods are one of the most common natural hazards in Thurston County,” the release says.
