Flood watch issued for Olympic Peninsula
Published 12:01 am Wednesday, December 22, 2010
The National Weather Service this afternoon issued the following flood watch alert that includes the Olympic Peninsula:
FLOOD WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA
434 PM PST WED DEC 22 2010
THE THREAT OF HEAVY RAIN OVER THE OLYMPIC PENINSULA CONTINUES THURSDAY
THROUGH SATURDAY. PRECIPITATION WILL BEGIN THURSDAY MORNING…AND
CONTINUE THROUGH SATURDAY UNTIL A STALLED FRONTAL BOUNDARY JUST
OFFSHORE MOVES INLAND. STRONG SOUTH WINDS JUST ABOVE THE SURFACE
WILL ENHANCE PRECIPITATION OVER THE SOUTHERN OLYMPIC MOUNTAINS.
SNOW LEVELS WILL BEGIN LOW…AROUND 2000 FEET…AND RISE TO 3500
FEET THURSDAY EVENING AND TO POSSIBLY 5000 FEET BY FRIDAY. THERE
WILL BE LULLS IN THE PRECIPITATION OVER THIS TIME PERIOD…AS
WAVES MOVE ALONG THE FRONT.
48 HOUR PRECIPITATION TOTALS GENERALLY FALL IN THE 3 – 6 INCH
RANGE ALTHOUGH AT LEAST ONE FORECAST MODEL SUGGESTS UP TO 8
INCHES OF RAIN ARE POSSIBLE. THERE IS UNCERTAINTY WHERE THE
HEAVIEST PRECIPITATION WILL FALL…WITH SOME FORECAST MODELS
PLACING THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL ALONG THE COAST AND WESTERN SLOPES
OF THE OLYMPICS.
DUE TO THE UNCERTAINTY SURROUNDING THE AMOUNT AND LOCATION OF THE
RAINFALL…A FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE ENTIRE OLYMPIC
PENINSULA INCLUDING ALL THE MAIN STEM RIVERS FLOWING OFF THE
OLYMPIC MOUNTAINS.
THE COMBINATION OF SATURATED SOILS AND RENEWED RAINFALL OVER THE
OLYMPIC PENINSULA WILL PRESENT A LANDSLIDE RISK FOR UNSTABLE
SLOPES – INCLUDING THE COASTAL LOWLANDS AND ALONG THE STRAIT OF
JUAN DE FUCA.
STAY TUNED FOR THE LATEST UPDATES AND FORECASTS.
CLALLAM-GRAYS HARBOR-JEFFERSON-MASON-
434 PM PST WED DEC 22 2010
…FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SATURDAY
AFTERNOON…
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SEATTLE HAS ISSUED A
* FLOOD WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF WESTERN WASHINGTON…INCLUDING THE
FOLLOWING COUNTIES… GRAYS HARBOR…CLALLAM…JEFFERSON…MASON.
* FROM THURSDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SATURDAY AFTERNOON.
* HEAVY RAIN WILL IMPACT THE OLYMPIC PENINSULA THURSDAY THROUGH
SATURDAY CAUSING RIVERS AND STREAMS TO RISE WITH THE POTENTIAL
FOR FLOODING.
* HEAVY RAIN MAY LOCALLY INCREASE THE LANDSLIDE RISK.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A FLOOD WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR FLOODING BUT
FLOODING IS NOT IMMINENT OR OCCURRING. MONITOR THE LATEST
FORECASTS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AND BE READY TO ACT
QUICKLY IF FLOODING IS OBSERVED OR A WARNING IS ISSUED.
&&
WWW.WEATHER.GOV/SEATTLE
