A flood watch has been issued for Gig Harbor and Pierce County, according to the National Weather Service. With heavy rain expected through Wednesday, the watch is in effect through Wednesday morning.
The flood watch covers a portion of Western Washington, including Pierce and King counties.
A flood watch means conditions are favorable for flooding but flooding is not imminent or occurring. Monitor the latest forecasts from Gig Harbor Patch and the National Weather Service and be ready to act quickly if flooding is observed or a warning is issued.
According to the National Weather Service:
- HEAVY RAIN OVER THE SOUTHWEST SLOPES OF CASCADE MOUNTAINS TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY COULD DRIVE THE MOST FLOOD-PRONE RIVERS OF THE NORTH CASCADES TO JUST ABOVE FLOOD STAGE. STORM TOTAL RAINFALL THROUGH WEDNESDAY WILL LIKELY RANGE FROM 2 TO 5 INCHES...WITH THE SNOW LEVEL AROUND 7000 TO 8000 FEET. ROUGHLY 1 TO 2 INCHES OF RAIN IS EXPECTED OVER THE LOWLANDS.
- THE MOST FLOOD-PRONE RIVERS IN THE WATCH AREA INCLUDE THE NOOKSACK...SKAGIT...AND STILLAGUAMISH RIVERS. IF ANY OF THESE RIVERS DO FLOOD...IT WILL PROBABLY BE RELATIVELY MINOR. THE RAINFALL IN THE LOWLANDS WILL ALSO LIKELY CAUSE STREET FLOODING IN POORLY DRAINED AREAS OR WHERE STORM DRAINS ARE COVERED BY LEAVES.
- 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 FLOODING IS OBSERVED OR A WARNING IS ISSUED.
