The National Weather Service issued the following flood warning as warm rains are forecast through Thursday. The Bogachiel River near Forks is on the Weather Service’s list as being of particular concern:
RAIN…LOCALLY HEAVY…CONTINUED ACROSS THE AREA. ADDITIONAL
RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 5 INCHES…LOCALLY NEAR 10 INCHES IN
THE OLYMPICS…ARE EXPECTED BY THURSDAY MORNING. MORE RAIN ON TOP
OF WHAT HAS ALREADY FALLEN WILL ONLY RESULT IN SMALL-STREAM FLOODING
AND INCREASE THE THREAT FOR URBAN FLOODING. IN ADDITION TO THE HEAVY
RAINS…RAPIDLY MELTING SNOW IN THE SHELTERED VALLEYS IN AND NEAR
THE OLYMPIC RANGE WAS ONLY MAKING THE SITUATION WORSE BY CREATING
MORE RUNOFF.
THE FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES FOR THE FOLLOWING RIVERS IN
WASHINGTON…
BOGACHIEL RIVER NEAR LAPUSH AFFECTING CLALLAM COUNTY.
FLOOD BULLETIN NO. 16
OLYMPIC PENINSULA REGION
RAINFALL CONTINUES BUT THE RIVERS ON THE WEST SIDE ARE SLOWING THEIR RISE AND CRESTING.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
DO NOT DRIVE CARS…TRUCKS…OR SUVS THROUGH FLOODED AREAS…THIS IS THE CAUSE OF MOST FLOOD RELATED DEATHS IN WASHINGTON. BE ALERT FOR RAPID CHANGES AND MONITOR DEVELOPMENTS BY LISTENING TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR OTHER LOCAL MEDIA.
THE FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES FOR THE BOGACHIEL RIVER NEAR LAPUSH
* UNTIL THURSDAY MORNING.
* AT 8:00 AM WEDNESDAY THE STAGE WAS 41.6 FEET.
* FLOOD STAGE IS 37.0 FEET.
* MAJOR FLOODING IS OCCURRING. THE FORECAST IS FOR MAJOR FLOODING.
* FORECAST…THE RIVER WILL CONTINUE TO RISE AND CREST NEAR 42.0 FEET AROUND 10 AM WEDNESDAY. THE RIVER WILL FALL BELOW FLOOD STAGE TONIGHT.
* IMPACT…AT 41.0 FEET…THE BOGACHIEL RIVER WILL CAUSE MAJOR FLOODING FROM STATE HIGHWAY 110 NEAR THE BOGACHIEL BRIDGE DOWN TO ITS MOUTH. DEEP…SWIFTLY MOVING WATER WILL INUNDATE RESIDENTIAL AREAS AND SR 110 IN THE VALLEY NEAR THE BOGACHIEL RIVER BRIDGE.
HOMES AND BUSINESSES WILL BE INUNDATED IN LAPUSH NEAR THE MOUTH OF THE RIVER. FLOODING WILL OCCUR ALL ALONG THE RIVER INCLUDING HEADWATERS…TRIBUTARIES…AND OTHER STREAMS WITHIN AND NEAR THE BOGACHIEL RIVER BASIN.
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