‘Parade’ of weather systems will hit Pierce County with damaging wind, more rain
The threat of river flooding continues Tuesday in Western Washington with a stronger weather system expected to arrive tonight bringing damaging winds and heavy rain, according to the National Weather Service. Widespread power outages are expected.
A flood watch remains in effect until Thursday afternoon, and forecast flooding for the White River affecting Pierce and King counties has increased from minor to moderate severity. Flooding is not anticipated to be as bad as the past week, but many rivers are expected to rise to moderate flood stage.
The NWS said flooding might occur upstream of the A Street Bridge in Auburn on Tuesday. River levels will likely be up against temporary flood protection barriers, with flooding likely at Government Canal and Butte Avenue in Pacific and downstream of the Stewart Street Bridge in Sumner.
The Sumner Police Department said Tuesday morning that there have so far been no effects in Sumner despite a levee breach on the White River that led to “Go Now” evacuation orders for about 2,100 residents of Pacific in South King County.
After a pause between weather systems Tuesday morning, rain is expected to pick up in the Tacoma area after 1 p.m. with between a quarter inch and a half inch of new precipitation predicted before 10 p.m. Moderate to heavy rainfall at times may lead to ponding on roads and some nuisance flooding.
More rain could trigger new landslides, according to the NWS, which says the threat of slides has increased in Western Washington due to the additional rainfall and the hammering of precipitation the region has gotten over the past week. Soil moisture is at high levels across the area, and more rain will continue to put pressure on soil instability, creating a greater threat of debris flows, especially in recently burned areas.
After the rain moves in, it will get blustery as a high wind warning goes into effect at 4 p.m. The NWS said winds will blow down trees and power lines, and advised using caution when driving. Travel will be particularly difficult for high-profile vehicles. Generally, wind speeds are expected at 25-35 mph with gusts up to 55 mph.
In the Tacoma area, south southwest winds of 25-31 mph were predicted with gusts as high as 40 mph.
The Peninsula Light Company said Tuesday morning that their crews are actively monitoring conditions and are ready to respond to the first reports of power outages. Forecasters warned that people should avoid being outside in forested areas and suggested remaining in the lower levels of your home and avoiding windows.
It’s not just wind speeds alone that are cause for concern, according to the NWS. It says forecasting analysis indicates “impressively strong” pressure rises in the early hours of Wednesday morning, meaning strong winds could arrive rapidly.
The challenging weather conditions aren’t expected to change soon. The NWS said a “parade of systems” will arrive nearly daily with additional lowland rain and mountain snow. Snow levels are expected to remain nar or below the passes through the period with significant additional accumulations.
This story was originally published December 16, 2025 at 10:36 AM.
