Thurston County sees widespread flooding as rain pours down. Which rivers are impacted?
Thurston County is expected to experience flooding through Saturday as heavy rain batters the region.
A flood watch notice went into effect starting late Wednesday night, according to Thurston County Emergency Management and the National Weather Service in Seattle. The notice extends to portions of Grays Harbor, Lewis, Pierce, and Mason counties.
Rain and lowland snowmelt have been causing excessive runoff into rivers, creeks, streams and other areas prone to flooding, per the NWS. Through Friday, lowlands may receive a total accumulation of around 2-4 inches of rain.
Meanwhile, the NWS says the Olympics may see 3-6 inches of rain and the Cascades may see 4-9 inches in total.
Due to flooding risks, Thurston County issued an evacuation advisory to residents near the Chehalis River, telling them to be prepared to “leave at a moments notice.”
“Conditions indicate a good probability that hazards associated with potential flooding will severely limit our ability to provide emergency service protection,” a county alert message says. “Dangerous conditions may threaten your residence or business.”
At around 10 a.m. Thursday, the NWS warned of major flooding in the Chehalis River above Grand Mound, above Doty, at Centralia and at Porter. The river is expected to rise to a crest of about 145.2 feet by Friday afternoon and fall back below the flood stage of 141 feet by Sunday morning.
In Thurston County, the NWS says the Chehalis River will inundate roads and farmlands. State Route 12, James, Independence and Moon roads will be covered in deep and swift flood waters, per the warning.
The Skookumchuck River near Bucoda and at Centralia also is flooding. The NWS predicts the river will rise to a crest of about 215.3 feet by late Friday morning and then fall below the flood stage of 211.5 feet by early Saturday afternoon.
Motorists are advised to not drive around barricades or through flooded areas.
Temperatures in the Olympia area will peak at about 47 degrees on Friday but drop to 35 degrees overnight, per the forecast. During the weekend, residents will experience highs in the mid to low 40s and a low of 32 degrees.
Thurston County recommends residents use sandbags to divert moving water around buildings. Information on where to get sandbags and how to use them can be found on the Thurston County emergency information website.
Meanwhile, heavy snow is continuing in Washington’s mountains, and the Northwest Avalanche Center has issued warnings for the Cascade and Olympic mountains due to “very dangerous avalanche conditions.”
Continued rain and snow melt are boosting landslide risks.
This story was originally published January 6, 2022 at 11:55 AM.
