A strong atmospheric river is headed to Pierce County with rain, wind and possible flooding
A strong atmospheric river was taking aim at western Washington Thursday evening and it’s bringing buckets of rain, blustery winds and an increased risk of river flooding.
The storm was forecast to hit the region around 6 p.m. Thursday and pound the region until late Friday.
Highs on Friday will reach into the upper 50s with lows in the low 40s. By Monday the highs will be in the low to mid 40s and lows will be in the low 30s.
“You can think of this storm happening in two parts,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Dev McMillian. Warmer temperatures will accompany the rain followed by cold air entering the region.
“We’re going to see snow levels drop rapidly into the remainder of the weekend and remain low,” he said.
Rain
The Weather Service said rain shadowing is possible for central Puget Sound but Tacoma and Olympia will see 2-3 inches of rain by 5 p.m. Saturday.
Sunday will be drier but there could be lingering showers, McMillian said.
Winds
Widespread gusty winds were expected to accompany the rainfall Thursday night through Saturday morning.
The wind will come from the south. A brief respite is possible Friday morning before picking up again in the afternoon, the Weather Service said.
Tacoma could see gusts of 35-40 miles per hour while Olympia could get gusts in the 30-35 range.
Because leaves are still on deciduous trees they could be more prone to breakage and falls compared to winter storms. Residents should be prepared for power outages.
Flooding
River levels will begin rising on Friday. Flooding could affect streams and cause urban flooding in the lowlands across western Washington.
Rivers in the Olympic and central Cascade ranges could rise rapidly, according to the Weather Service.
Rivers should begin receding on Sunday.
Cold and snow
The snow level will rise to 6,000 feet with the coming storm. But thermometers will start falling Saturday as cold air settles over the region.
Travel over mountain passes could be impacted by snow as early as Saturday as snow levels rapidly drop to 2,000-3,000 feet.
By Monday, the snow level could lower to 1,000 feet. A rain and snow mix is possible in Puget Sound as early as Monday, the Weather Service said.
Travelers should check the state Department of Transportation’s travel page for the latest updates.
This story was originally published November 3, 2022 at 7:00 AM.
