As rain falls and snow melts, watch out for flooding and landslides in western WA
Heavy rainfall and melting snow prompted the National Weather Service on Monday to warn of an increased threat of flooding and landslides in western Washington.
Over the past day or two, the region has seen one to three inches of rain, according to the National Weather Service. Widespread rain and snowmelt in low elevation areas has increased soil moisture to high levels across the western part of the state, and continued rainfall over the next few days raises the chances for landslides, the NWS said.
A flood watch for the region, including Pierce County, was in effect through Wednesday morning, with a new, strong frontal system expected to hit Monday night.
“Rivers are already seeing increases and the additional rainfall will result in some rivers potentially reaching flood stage,” the NWS said, adding that waters might also rise in poor-drainage and urban areas.
Rain was expected to persist through the week in Tacoma, with likely showers on Wednesday bringing less than one-tenth of an inch of rainfall, according to the NWS.
As much as three-quarters of an inch of rain could fall in the area on Monday night, with up to a half-inch of precipitation possible on Tuesday, the NWS said. Light winds on Monday were forecast to give way to stronger gusts as high as 45 mph on Tuesday.
Temperatures were forecast to drop through the mid-week before rebounding slightly on Thursday. After Monday, the week’s high was expected to be 52 degrees during a wet and breezy Tuesday, with the week’s low of 40 degrees anticipated Wednesday night.
Trees were also reported down Monday morning on State Route 302 near Key Peninsula Highway, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation.
This story was originally published December 26, 2022 at 11:13 AM.
