National Weather Service Issues Flood Watch for King County

A storm is sweeping through the Puget Sound bringing enough rain to prompt the National Weather Service to issue a flood watch for Wednesday through Friday. A flood watch means flooding may happen but has not yet occurred. Here is the flood watch issued by the service:

...A STRONG PACIFIC STORM SYSTEM WILL BRING PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN TO THE COAST AND MOUNTAINS OF WESTERN WASHINGTON WEDNESDAY THROUGH AT LEAST THURSDAY..

A FLOOD WATCH REMINS IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON

 A WARM FRONTAL SYSTEM WILL SPREAD RAIN INTO WESTERN WASHINGTON LATER TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY. THE FRONTAL BAND IS EXPECTED TO STALL OVER THE AREA FOR A 24 TO 48 HOUR PERIOD PRODUCING HEAVY PRECIPITATION ALONG THE COAST AND MOUNTAINS. FREEZING LEVELS WILL RISE DRAMATICALLY TO 7000-9000 FEET DURING THE PERIOD WHICH RAISES THE THREAT OF FLOODING ON SOME RIVERS.

THE SKOKOMISH RIVER IN MASON COUNTY IS THE RIVER MOST LIKELY TO  FLOOD...POSSIBLY BY LATE WEDNESDAY. HOWEVER...48 HOUR RAINFALL  AMOUNTS OF UP TO 5 INCHES IN THE OLYMPICS AND 4 TO 7 INCHES IN  THE CENTRAL CASCADES WILL DRIVE RIVERS SUCH AS SNOQUALMIE..  SNOHOMISH...AND STILLAGUAMISH TO FLOOD. THERE IS A CHANCE THE  SNOHOMISH RIVER WILL REACH MAJOR FLOOD.

LESS AMOUNTS OF RAINFALL ARE EXPECTED ELSEWHERE BUT WILL CAUSE  SHARP RISES ON OTHER RIVES AND MAY ALSO CAUSE SOME ADDITIONAL  RIVERS RUNNING OFF THE CASCADES AND OLYMPICS TO FLOOD. GRAYS  HARBOR AND KITSAP COUNTIES MAY ALSO BE IMPACTED AND COULD BE  ADDED TO THE FLOOD WATCH LATER. SCATTERED LANDSLIDES IN AREAS  THAT RECEIVE HEAVY RAIN MAY ALSO OCCUR.