Steady rain and gusting winds are expected to continue across the North Olympic Peninsula today as three rivers swell past flood stage.
The National Weather Service in Seattle on Monday issued flood and high-wind warnings for the Peninsula as a cold front moves over the region.
Moderate to minor flooding is expected on the Elwha, Dungeness and Bogachiel rivers, said Dennis D’Amico, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Seattle.
Localized flooding is forecast for the entire region.
Five to 10 inches of rain is expected in the Olympic Mountains, where the freezing level is forecast to drop to 3,000 feet tonight.
A high-wind warning for East Jefferson County expired on Monday, but winds of 35 to 45 mph are forecast in East Jefferson and on the West End, the National Weather Service said.
Heavy surf advisory
A heavy surf advisory is in effect for a southwest swell of 20 feet combined with a 9-foot-high tide at noon.
Runoff from heavy rains caused a mudslide that blocked state Highway 112 near Neah Bay for about two hours on Monday.
State Department of Transportation crews opened an alternating lane of traffic near Milepost 2 at Bullman Creek at 2:19 p.m.
Crews will continue to remove mud and debris from the roadway today, DOT spokeswoman Kelly Stowe said.
Other weather-related damage was minimal.
Clallam County Public Utility District spokesman Jeff Beaman reported a small mudslide near Bogachiel Way in Forks, but no significant power outages.
“There are a number of outages, but they are scattered, individual outages,” Beaman said.
“It’s not widespread.”
Highway mudslide
Penny Linterman, Clallam County Department of Emergency Management program coordinator, said the mudslide on Highway 112 was the only major weather event as of Monday evening.
“There isn’t anything outside of normal bounds for this time of year,” Linterman said.
Bob Hamlin, Jefferson County Department of Emergency Management program manager, said some low-lying roads were covered with water.
“We’re under watches and warnings, but no reports [of damage] at all,” Hamlin said.
After hearing a National Weather Service briefing on Monday, Linterman said the Olympic Mountains will block the brunt of the storm from central and eastern Clallam County.
“We’re kind of protected here,” she said.
D’Amico said a sagging cold front is pumping weather over the Peninsula into Vancouver Island.
“That front is eventually going to sag south tomorrow,” D’Amico said on Monday.
“We’ll see snow levels come down, and steady rain will turn to showers.”
Olympic National Park reported a mix of rain and snow at Hurricane Ridge with winds of 50 to 90 mph forecast through today.
There is 27 inches of snow on the ground at Hurricane Ridge.
Hurricane Ridge Road will remain closed through Friday morning because of accumulated snow and ice.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
