More rain, flooding and potential landslides forecast for Pierce County area
An atmospheric river fueling major floods across western Washington is expected to keep pressure on Pierce County rivers through Thursday, leaving the region at continued risks of flooding and landslides, according to the National Weather Service Seattle.
Moderate to heavy rain will remain over western Washington into Thursday morning, NWS Seattle wrote in a news release Wednesday. The precipitation gradually will diminish throughout Thursday into Saturday and Sunday, when storm systems are predicted to be weaker.
The excess rain also means a higher risk for landslides will continue into Thursday and potentially Friday.
Watch out for flooding on roadways with poor drainage areas, which create difficult commute conditions for drivers, officials said.
Widespread river flooding reaching major levels likely will continue through at least Thursday, NWS Seattle said. Expect the flooding to linger this weekend on the lower reaches of large rivers.
The Puyallup River was predicted to crest at 4 p.m. Wednesday at levels similar to Tuesday morning, then again at 10 a.m. Thursday at around 3 feet higher, the City of Sumner posted on X.
For the White River, the U.S. Army Corps is holding water back at Mud Mountain Dam until the Puyallup River finishes cresting, the post read. Then it will release amounts of water “we’ve never seen before,” likely on Thursday morning, according to Sumner’s tweet.
Minor coastal flooding is expected Wednesday for interior coastal waters.
Winds in the South Sound are predicted to reach a maximum of 30 to 35 mph through 10 p.m. Wednesday, then will ease as the night goes on, NWS Seattle said. These gusts could cause power outages and tree falls.
Stormy conditions are expected to continue into next week, where there is an increasing chance of another round of heavy snow and wind between Dec. 17 to 20, according to NWS Seattle.
This story was originally published December 10, 2025 at 1:59 PM.
