Trees reflect off flood waters from the Skookumchuckin early January, 2020 in Bucoda.
Lewis County has been included in another flood watch issued for Western Washington by the National Weather Service.
The advisory was issued Thursday and will remain in effect through Sunday.
“Several rounds of moderate to heavy rainfall are expected into the weekend. Rivers are expected to rise, with some rivers reaching flood stage as early as Friday evening,” according to the Flood Watch.
Snow levels are also expected to rise to 6,000 to 8,000 feet through Friday night. Rainfall is expected to cause urban flooding as well as river flooding.
In Lewis County as of Thursday afternoon, only the Skookumchuck River in Bucoda was expected to rise into minor flood stage. The Chehalis River in Grand Mound was predicted to approach flood stage, as was the Cowlitz River in Randle.
While daily rainfall data for January wasn’t yet available for the Centralia and Chehalis area, the National Weather Service reported that as of Wednesday, Olympia had 29 straight days with measurable rainfall, with a 30th on Friday — a new record — and a total rainfall of 14.37 inches for the month.
“It’s been the same story across most of the region,” said meteorologist Courtney Obergfell Thursday afternoon.
That puts it in the top five rainiest Januaries since records have been kept.
“They will likely move up into the top 3 for rainiest januaries,” Obergfell said.
The weather service has also issued a special weather statement warning of an increased risk of landslides in Western Washington.
“Multiple periods of rainfall over the last several weeks, including the last several days, has increased soil moisture to high levels across Western Washington,” according to the special weather statement. “This amount of rain will put extra pressure on soil instability, leading to an increased threat of landslides being triggered beginning (Thursday night), but especially Friday through Saturday.
