November 4, 2009 ...WINDY CONDITIONS FOR THE MOUNTAINS...COAST...AND NORTHERN
INTERIOR THURSDAY...

A STRONG PACIFIC FRONTAL SYSTEM WILL IMPACT WESTERN WASHINGTON ON
THURSDAY. BREEZY SOUTHEASTERLY WINDS ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT WILL
BECOME SOUTH-SOUTHWEST ON THURSDAY FOR THE NORTH INTERIOR AND
COAST INCREASING TO 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUST AS HIGH AS 50 MPH.

WINDS JUST ABOVE THE SURFACE WILL BE VERY STRONG ON THURSDAY.
RIDGETOP WINDS FOR THE OLYMPICS AND LOWER SOUTH FACING SLOPES WILL
RANGE FROM 45 TO 65 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS POSSIBLE. RIDGETOP WINDS
ALONG THE SOUTHERN SLOPES OF THE CASCADES WILL ALSO BE
WINDY...WITH SUSTAINED WINDS UP TO 50 MPH POSSIBLE. THE STRONG
WINDS WILL ALSO BE ACCOMPANIED BY HEAVY RAINS...COMBINING FOR
DANGEROUS CONDITIONS IN THE MOUNTAINS.

STAY TUNED FOR THE LATEST FORECAST UPDATES

THE FORECAST CALLS FOR HEAVY RAIN ON THURSDAY IN
THE OLYMPICS AND NORTH CASCADES...WITH MODERATE RAIN IN THE
CENTRAL CASCADES. AT THIS TIME THE HEAVIEST RAIN IN FORECAST
MODELS IS CONCENTRATED IN THE SOUTHERN OLYMPICS AND IN THE
NORTHERNMOST CASCADES. THE SKOKOMISH RIVER IN MASON COUNTY AND THE
NOOKSACK RIVER IN WHATCOM COUNTY ARE THE RIVERS MOST LIKELY TO
FLOOD IN THIS SCENARIO...AND A FLOOD WATCH IS NOW IN EFFECT FOR
THOSE COUNTIES.

WITH THE RAIN STILL UP TO 48 HOURS AWAY...THE FOCUS OF HEAVY RAIN
COULD CHANGE. THERE IS SOME CONCERN FOR RIVERS ON THE REST OF THE
OLYMPIC PENINSULA AND FOR THE SKAGIT AND STILLAGUAMISH RIVERS IN
THE NORTH CASCADES...BUT THE LEVEL OF CONCERN DOES NOT WARRANT A
FLOOD WATCH FOR THOSE RIVERS AT THIS TIME.

FLOODING IS NOT A CONCERN ON THE GREEN RIVER IN KING COUNTY AT
THIS TIME.

WAC045-073-041345-
/O.COR.KSEW.FA.A.0005.091106T0000Z-091107T0000Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
MASON-WHATCOM-
449 PM PST TUE NOV 3 2009

...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH FRIDAY
AFTERNOON...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SEATTLE HAS ISSUED A

* FLOOD WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF WESTERN WASHINGTON...INCLUDING THE
   FOLLOWING COUNTIES...WHATCOM...MASON.

* FROM THURSDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON

* HEAVY RAIN IN THE OLYMPICS AND NORTH CASCADES ON THURSDAY COULD
   DRIVE A FEW RIVERS TO FLOOD ON FRIDAY. THE SKOKOMISH RIVER IN
   MASON COUNTY IS THE RIVER MOST LIKELY TO RISE ABOVE FLOOD STAGE.
   RIVER MODELS CURRENTLY SHOW THAT THE SKOKOMISH RIVER COULD
   REACH FLOOD STAGE THURSDAY NIGHT AND CREST BETWEEN 16.2 AND 16.7
   FT ON FRIDAY.

* THE NOOKSACK RIVER IN WHATCOM COUNTY WILL ALSO RISE SHARPLY ON
   FRIDAY. CURRENTLY RIVER MODELS SHOW THE NOOKSACK RIVER EXCEEDING
   BANK FULL STAGE ON FRIDAY...BUT NOT QUITE REACHING FLOOD STAGE.
   THIS KIND OF BEHAVIOR IS COMMON ON THE NOOKSACK...BUT A FLOOD
   WATCH IS WARRANTED.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

IF YOU LIVE IN MASON OR WHATCOM COUNTIES OR PLAN TO TRAVEL THERE...
MONITOR WEATHER AND RIVER FORECASTS CAREFULLY. THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE WILL ISSUE FURTHER BULLETINS ON WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY AS
CONDITIONS DEVELOP.