Get ready, Seattle — a serious soaking is on the way. By Monday, the area could see up to an inch of rain as an atmospheric river moves into Western Washington. And it’s not just rain — gusty winds will be coming along for the ride.
The heaviest rain is expected to hit the Cascade and Olympic mountains, according to Jeff Michalski from the National Weather Service in Seattle. Snow levels will stay around 6,000 feet, but there’s a bigger concern lower down — an avalanche warning has been issued for the mountain areas. With so much rain coming in, smaller rivers could start to swell, and a flood watch is in place for most of Western Washington. Seattle itself isn’t expected to see river flooding, but landslides could be a real possibility early next week.
It’s been a while since the region has had this much rain. January was unusually dry, and February has been mostly cold. So while this kind of weather isn’t unheard of for mid-February, it’s definitely making an entrance.
People should keep an eye on rising river levels and watch out for water collecting on roads. The risk of flooding should ease up by late Tuesday, but the wind will stick around. Winds are expected to peak late Sunday and then again from Monday afternoon into Tuesday morning. If sustained winds hit over 40 mph and gusts reach 60 mph, there’s a good chance of power outages, especially depending on which way the wind blows.
But there is a bit of good news. By the middle of next week, temperatures could warm up to nearly 60 degrees. So after the storm, it might just feel a little like spring.
