Dreaming of a wet Christmas?
The National Weather Service today updated its flood watch for the Olympic Peninsula:
THE THREAT OF HEAVY RAIN OVER THE OLYMPIC PENINSULA CONTINUES THROUGH
SATURDAY. PRECIPITATION WILL INCREASE TODAY…AND CONTINUE AT
TIMES 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 2500 FEET…AND RISE TO 4000
FEET THIS 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 TOTAL ARE GENERALLY EXPECTED TO REACH 3 – 5
INCHES OVER THE OLYMPICS. 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 REMAINS IN EFFECT 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-
532 AM PST THU DEC 23 2010
…FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON
THROUGH SATURDAY AFTERNOON…
THE FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES FOR
* PORTIONS OF WESTERN WASHINGTON…INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES…GRAYS HARBOR…CLALLAM…JEFFERSON…MASON.
* FROM 4 PM PST THIS 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.
