The National Weather Service in Seattle has issued a Flood Watch for parts of northwest and west central Washington, including counties such as Clallam, Grays Harbor, and King from late Sunday night through Friday afternoon. Residents should brace for potential flooding due to excessive rainfall over the coming days, the NWS reported.
Starting Sunday night, areas spanning from the Olympic Peninsula to the interior regions of Puget Sound face increased risks of river flooding and urban inundation, with a particular concern for locations with poor drainage and regions susceptible to landslides, the watch outlines are expected to rise sharply following moderate to heavy rainfall as fast-moving weather systems roll in over the region, according to NWS forecasts.
Forecasters are calling for a near-certain chance of rain throughout the week, with the heaviest downpours anticipated early into next week when atmospheric conditions will bring in an atmospheric river that may lead to elevated precipitation amounts, with some areas potentially seeing up to three-quarters to one inch of rainfall, especially on Monday, the NWS detailed forecast states that saturated soils could also raise the likelihood of landslides and debris flows on burn scars.
In preparation for the week’s rainfall and potential flooding, individuals living in the affected counties are urged to monitor weather forecasts closely and get ready to act should flooding materialize, "Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations. Flooding may occur in poor drainage and urban areas," the NWS Flood Watch advisory warns; additional weather safety information can be found on their website.
