Flood watch in effect for Thurston County area. Here’s how much rain could fall
Update: The area flood watch has been extended to 4 p.m. today (Friday), according to the National Weather Service. Heavy rainfall over the past couple of days will force rises on the Chehalis River today with the river cresting close to minor flood stage, meteorologists say.
Excessive rainfall may cause flooding in the Thurston County area through Thursday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service in Seattle.
The NWS has issued a flood watch advisory for portions of northwest and west central Washington, which includes Thurston, Mason, Pierce, King, Lewis and Grays Harbor counties.
About 2-3 inches of rain may fall over the Olympia area from Tuesday to Thursday, according to a Tuesday NWS briefing. Wind gusts of up to 35 miles per hour were also predicted for Wednesday. The forecast attributes the stormy weather to an atmospheric river pattern along the Washington coast.
The weather system also brought heavy snow to the Olympics and Cascades mountain ranges, per the forecast. A rain and snow mix may fall over the Olympia area through Thursday, but the NWS says there will be little to no snow accumulation.
Temperatures are expected to top out in the mid-40s and fall to the low 30s overnight through the weekend. This trend will coincide with more chances for rain and snow mixes.
The NWS warns that water runoff may flood rivers, creeks, streams and other low-lying and flood prone locations. However, the flood watch advisory says that there’s a fair amount of uncertainty around what, if any rivers, will flood.
The one exception is the Skokomish River in Mason County. The NWS says its highly likely the river will exceed flood stage and may even pass the moderate flood stage.
The NWS advises the public to monitor forecast and be ready for possible flood warnings. Thurston County residents can monitor river water levels on the county’s Emergency Management website.
This story was originally published February 28, 2024 at 11:34 AM.
