The National Weather Service issued a flood watch for various counties in Western Washington, including Lewis County ,this morning.
According to NWS forecasters, a strong Pacific storm system will bring heavy rain to the coast and mountain areas of Western Washington Wednesday through at least Thursday. The flood watch has been placed into effect until at least Friday afternoon, the NWS said.
The latest NWS forecast calls for a warm frontal system to bring rain to the area tonight and Wednesday, then stall over the area for one to two days and bring heavy rain. Freezing levels in the Cascades will rise from 7,000 to 9,000 feet, raising the flooding threat on some rivers, according to the NWS.
Rainfall amounts could top 5 to 10 inches in some areas, according to the flood watch. Forecasters warn such rainfall will cause rivers to rise sharply, and other rivers running off the Cascades and Olympics could flood as well.
