PORT ANGELES — Get ready for the first significant rainfall of the season, the National Weather Service said.
A wet and windy pattern will persist through the weekend, with the heaviest rain falling Wednesday and Thursday, forecasters said Monday.
One to three inches of rain was expected for the North Olympic Peninsula lowlands through Thursday, with a classic rain shadow keeping totals on the low end in Sequim and Port Townsend, said Johnny Burg, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Seattle.
Coastal areas were expected to receive two to four inches of rain through Thursday. Gusts on the coast could hit 35 mph.
Six to nine inches of rain was forecast for the windward side of the Olympic Mountains.
“It’s going to be wet, and it’s going to be windy, although the strongest winds are going to be along the coast,” Burg said in a Monday interview.
“Be prepared for the possibility that small branches and weak trees might fall. There could be power outages.”
Area rivers, which are running well below normal, might rise to flood stage, Burg said.
Urban flooding also is a possibility.
“Water accumulation during the event can be alleviated by keeping storm drains clear of leaf litter, clutter and debris,” the National Weather Service said in a hydrologic outlook Monday.
The city of Sequim on Monday asked residents and business owners to clear the storm drains in front of their property to reduce the risk of street flooding. Sequim public works crews will also be out clearing leaves and debris from storm drains, according to a press release.
In the Cascades, snow may begin falling on mountain passes by this afternoon. A few inches of snow could fall above 4,000 feet in the North Cascades starting Wednesday and create travel problems. Elsewhere, snow levels are expected to be over 7,000 feet.
For the latest forecasts, check the National Weather Service Seattle office website, www.weather.gov/sew.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56450, or at rollikainen@peninsula dailynews.com.
Material from The Associated Press was used in this report.
