The National Weather Service in Seattle has issued a flood watch for much of Western Washington — including Lewis, Thurston and Grays Harbor counties — through Wednesday afternoon as several rounds of heavy rain are predicted to pummel the region.
As of Sunday afternoon, the National Weather Service was predicting the most severe local inundation to be along the Cowlitz River at Randle where the waterway is expected to reach major flooding stage Monday and into Tuesday.
Elsewhere, the Newaukum River at Chehalis — where record flooding occurred in early January — is predicted to see minor flooding.
The Chehalis River at Grand Mound was predicted to crest just below minor flood stage on Tuesday.
Other local waterways were not expected to flood as of Sunday afternoon.
The Lewis and Thurston county areas are less than two months removed from record flooding that hit the Chehalis River Basin in early January. Between public and individual damages, Lewis County Emergency Management reported upwards of $4.5 million in damages resulting from January’s flooding in the Chehalis River Basin. Two people died after being swept away by flood waters during the event.
Keep an eye on river levels here: https://water.weather.gov/ahps2/forecasts.php?wfo=sew
Learn about other tools and resources here: https://lewiscountywa.gov/departments/emergency-management/flood-information/
Flood Watch
National Weather Service Seattle WA
1241 PM PST Sun Feb 27 2022
WAC027-033-041-045-053-057-061-067-073-281930-
/O.NEW.KSEW.FA.A.0005.220228T0900Z-220302T2300Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Grays Harbor-King-Lewis-Mason-Pierce-Skagit-Snohomish-Thurston-
Whatcom-
Including the cities of Marysville, Olympia, Lynnwood, Tacoma,
Chehalis, Sedro-Woolley, Everett, Fords Prairie, Hoquiam, Lacey,
Edmonds, Bellingham, Burlington, Shelton, Tumwater, Seattle,
Aberdeen, Mount Vernon, and Anacortes
1241 PM PST Sun Feb 27 2022
...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY
AFTERNOON...
* WHAT...Flooding caused by excessive rainfall is possible.
* WHERE...Portions of northwest Washington and west central
Washington, including the following counties, in northwest
Washington, Grays Harbor, Mason, Skagit and Whatcom. In west
central Washington, King, Lewis, Pierce, Snohomish and Thurston.
* WHEN...From late tonight through Wednesday afternoon.
* IMPACTS...Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers,
creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...
- Heavy rain tonight through Monday night for the Cascades and
Olympics. Rivers flowing off the Olympics could begin
flooding tonight. Rivers flowing off the Cascades could begin
flooding on Monday.
- http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
You should monitor later forecasts and be alert for possible Flood
Warnings. Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared
to take action should flooding develop.
