An atmospheric river is expected to bring heavy precipitation to the North Olympic Peninsula into the weekend and potentially next week as conditions over the Pacific Ocean continue to generate stormy weather for the West Coast.
Communities in the rainshadow of the Olympic Mountains, such as Port Angeles, Sequim and Port Townsend, likely will see less rain than the coast, said Samantha Borth, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Seattle, but rain will be consistent at least into Saturday.
“It’s going to be pretty steady throughout the day. There will be periods of heavier rain,” Borth said Thursday.
Rainshadowed communities can expect between 0.25-1 inch of rain, Borth said, while coastal communities like Forks can expect between 1-4 inches.
Heavy winds are also expected. Borth said that, due to location and wind direction, Port Townsend likely will experience more wind than other communities on the Peninsula.
The weather service issued a special weather statement for the Olympic Peninsula on Wednesday warning of the potential for landslides due to soil saturation and river flooding because of heavy precipitation in the mountains.
Thursday morning, the state Department of Transportation reported a landslide across both lanes of state Highway 20 near Eaglemount Road. The slide, which initially blocked both lanes at 11 a.m., was cleared by about 2 p.m.
The same weather system that’s been pummeling California in recent days is expected to turn north, the weather service said, and while Northern California probably will have the heaviest rainfall, the rest of the Pacific Northwest coast is looking at consistent precipitation through early Saturday
“By Friday night, this somewhat stagnant pattern will show signs of breaking down, allowing the next Pacific cyclone to direct yet another surge of atmospheric river toward California by Saturday morning,” NWS said.
The weather service forecasts rain daily until next Wednesday, with the exception of Monday, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, when only a chance of rain is predicted.
Heavier rains are expected at higher elevations, meteorologists said. That could cause river flooding throughout the Olympic region.
Olympic National Park closed campgrounds and roads in the western part of the park on Thursday because of expected heavy rain and high winds.
Visitors who were camped at those campgrounds — Quinault, Queets, Kalaloch and Mora — were offered available space at alternative park campgrounds that remain open, park officials said.
Roads closed Thursday because of the threat of flooding or high winds blowing down trees are the Upper and Lower Queets, Graves Creek, North Fork Quinault and the Mora Road beyond the Mora Ranger Station.
The campgrounds and roads will reopen once park staff determine that conditions are safe for visitor use, officials said.
The weather service has forecast high surf in coastal areas, creating dangerous swimming and surfing conditions, and gusty winds and rain will make their way through lowland and coastal areas.
“Visitors are advised to use caution” when visiting coastal areas and other areas of the national park beginning Thursday through Sunday,” park officials said.
“Additional closures may occur due to changing weather conditions or emergencies,” officials said.
For more information on visiting the park and current conditions, visit www.nps.gov/olym or call 360-565-3131.
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Reporter Peter Segall can be reached at peter.segall@peninsuladailynews.com.
