Sunday storm warning: rain, high winds

In like a lion, March is about to prove the proverb with a weekend storm bound for the Puget Sound region.

The National Weather Service has issued a series of alerts concerning a storm approaching from off the Oregon Coast and due to slam home on Sunday.

The Weather Service forecast for Thun Field in Pierce County calls for rain Sunday with winds of 25 to 30 mph decreasing to 15 to 20 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 60 mph.

There’s a winter storm warning in the mountains, where drivers (and skiers) can expect eight to 18 inches of snow through Sunday morning, with another one to two feet falling from noon Sunday through noon Monday, especially around Mount Rainier. The snow level will hover between 2,000 and 3,000 feet.

A marine storm warning will be in effect from 1 p.m. Sunday through 3 a.m. Monday for south winds of 40 to 50 knots becoming southwest in the evening. Along with the winds, the service predicts wind waves of six to nine feet, and advises recreational boaters to remain in port or take shelter until the storm passes.

A flood watch will remain in effect through early Monday on the Skokomish River in Mason County.

This story was originally published March 12, 2016 at 8:52 AM with the headline "Sunday storm warning: rain, high winds."