Issued by The National Weather Service

Seattle/Tacoma, WA Monday, March 11, 2013

… FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SEATTLE HAS ISSUED A

* FLOOD WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF WESTERN WASHINGTON… INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES… GRAYS HARBOR… CLALLAM… JEFFERSON… SKAGIT… WHATCOM… KING… MASON… SNOHOMISH.

* FROM TUESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON

* RAINFALL IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE TONIGHT AND CONTINUE THROUGH AT LEAST WEDNESDAY. TOTAL RAIN AMOUNTS IN THE OLYMPICS AND NORTHERN CASCADES ARE FORECAST TO BE 4 TO 7 INCHES. SNOW LEVELS ARE EXPECTED TO RISE TO AROUND 6000 FEET IN THESE AREAS AS WELL. LIGHTER AMOUNTS OF RAIN ARE EXPECTED ELSEWHERE IN THE CASCADES AND IN THE LOWLANDS OF WESTERN WASHINGTON.

* THE RIVERS WITH THE GREATEST THREAT OF REACHING FLOOD STAGE INCLUDE THE BOGACHIEL… SKOKOMISH… SNOQUALMIE… TOLT… AND THE STILLAGUAMISH RIVERS. THE LATEST FORECAST CALLS FOR THE HEAVIEST RAIN OVER THOSE RIVER BASINS. THERE REMAINS UNCERTAINTY IN THE RAINFALL FORECAST… THE POSITION OF THE ATMOSPHERIC RIVER AIMED AT THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST HAS CHANGED SOMEWHAT IN RECENT GUIDANCE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A FLOOD WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR FLOODING BUT FLOODING IS NOT IMMINENT OR OCCURRING. MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AND BE READY TO ACT QUICKLY IF A WARNING IS ISSUED OR FLOODING IS OBSERVED.