Alert archive / Washington / River Flood Warnings in 2021

River Flood Warning 101, NWS Seattle, WA

December 22, 2021Mason County, Washington

NWS Seattle, WA issued this river flood warning at Dec 22, 2021, 3:11 PM PST for Mason County, Washington. It took effect at Dec 22, 2021, 9:23 PM PST. It was in force for 31 hr.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued: Dec 22, 2021, 3:11 PM PST (23:11 UTC)
In effect from: Dec 22, 2021, 9:23 PM PST
Expired: Dec 24, 2021, 4:18 AM PST
In force: 31 hr
Issued by: NWS Seattle, WA
Area: Storm-based polygon
Flood severity: Minor

County Mason County, WA

The radar

The Langley Hill radar (KLGX), 72 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:15 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

The river

Written for the forecast point Skokomish River near Potlatch (SRPW1). The gauge peaked at 17.03 ft at Dec 23, 2021, 5:00 AM PST.

Action stage: 15 ft
Minor stage: 16.5 ft
Moderate stage: 17.5 ft
Major stage: 18 ft

This gauge today: stage, forecast and historic crests

Stage from the USGS instantaneous record for site 12061500, one reading an hour, from a day before the product to a day after it ended. Flood stages are today's.

The text

As transmitted.

792 
WGUS46 KSEW 222311
FLWSEW

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Flood Warning
National Weather Service Seattle WA
311 PM PST Wed Dec 22 2021

...The National Weather Service in Seattle WA has issued a Flood 
Warning for the following rivers in Washington...

  Skokomish River At Potlatch affecting Mason County.

.Heavy rain over the south slopes of the Olympics will push the 
Skokomish River at Potlatch above flood stage Wednesday evening. The 
river will crest early Thursday morning and fall below flood stage 
Thursday afternoon.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Motorists should not attempt to drive around barricades or drive 
cars through flooded areas.

Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize the 
dangers of flooding.

Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood 
deaths occur in vehicles.

Additional information is available at www.weather.gov.

The next statement will be issued by late tonight at 500 AM PST.

&&


WAC045-231300-
/O.NEW.KSEW.FL.W.0101.211223T0523Z-211224T0603Z/
/SRPW1.1.ER.211223T0523Z.211223T1200Z.211224T0102Z.NO/
311 PM PST Wed Dec 22 2021

...FLOOD WARNING IN EFFECT FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY 
EVENING...

* WHAT...Minor flooding is forecast.

* WHERE...Skokomish River At Potlatch.

* WHEN...From this evening to late tomorrow evening.

* IMPACTS...At 16.5 feet, the Skokomish River will cause widespread 
  flooding of pasture lands, with water flowing quickly over West 
  Bourgault Road and Skokomish Valley Road.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...
  - At 2:45 PM PST Wednesday the stage was 16.2 feet.
  - Forecast...The river is expected to rise above flood stage
    late this evening cresting near 17.2 feet around 4 AM
    Thursday. The river will begin receding later Thursday
    morning and fall below flood stage Thursday afternoon.
  - Flood stage is 16.5 feet.
  - Flood History...This crest compares to a previous crest of
    17.2 feet on 12/17/2001.
  - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood

&&

LAT...LON 4744 12326 4733 12321 4736 12317 4733 12308
      4721 12321 4738 12340


$$

44

4 follow-up statements

712 
WGUS86 KSEW 231208
FLSSEW

Flood Statement
National Weather Service Seattle WA
408 AM PST Thu Dec 23 2021

...The Flood Warning continues for the following rivers in 
Washington...

  Skokomish River At Potlatch affecting Mason County.

.The river at Potlatch will crest around daybreak this morning and 
fall below flood stage later this afternoon.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Motorists should not attempt to drive around barricades or drive 
cars through flooded areas.

Additional information is available at www.weather.gov.

The next statement will be issued by this afternoon at 1215 PM PST.

&&


WAC045-232015-
/O.CON.KSEW.FL.W.0101.000000T0000Z-211224T0603Z/
/SRPW1.1.ER.211223T0523Z.211223T1200Z.211224T0102Z.NO/
408 AM PST Thu Dec 23 2021

...FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM EARLY THIS MORNING THROUGH 
THIS EVENING...

* WHAT...Minor flooding is forecast.

* WHERE...Skokomish River At Potlatch.

* WHEN...Until late this evening.

* IMPACTS...At 16.5 feet, the Skokomish River will cause widespread 
  flooding of pasture lands, with water flowing quickly over West 
  Bourgault Road and Skokomish Valley Road.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...
  - At 4:00 AM PST Thursday the stage was 17.0 feet.
  - Forecast...The river is expected to crest near 17.2 feet
    around 6 AM today. The river will begin receding later this
    morning and fall below flood stage later this afternoon.
  - Flood stage is 16.5 feet.
  - Flood History...This crest compares to a previous crest of
    17.2 feet on 12/17/2001.
  - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood

&&

LAT...LON 4744 12326 4733 12321 4736 12317 4733 12308
      4721 12321 4738 12340


$$

19

883 
WGUS86 KSEW 231953
FLSSEW

Flood Statement
National Weather Service Seattle WA
1153 AM PST Thu Dec 23 2021

...The Flood Warning is extended for the following rivers in 
Washington...

  Skokomish River At Potlatch affecting Mason County.

.The river at Potlatch will continue to recede through today and 
will recede below flood stage tonight.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Motorists should not attempt to drive around barricades or drive 
cars through flooded areas.

Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood 
deaths occur in vehicles.

Additional information is available at www.weather.gov.

The next statement will be issued by this evening at 800 PM PST.

&&


WAC045-240400-
/O.EXT.KSEW.FL.W.0101.000000T0000Z-211224T1838Z/
/SRPW1.1.ER.211223T0523Z.211223T1200Z.211224T0938Z.NO/
1153 AM PST Thu Dec 23 2021

...FLOOD WARNING NOW IN EFFECT FROM THIS MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY 
MORNING...

* WHAT...Minor flooding is occurring and minor flooding is forecast.

* WHERE...Skokomish River At Potlatch.

* WHEN...Until late tomorrow morning.

* IMPACTS...At 16.5 feet, the Skokomish River will cause widespread 
  flooding of pasture lands, with water flowing quickly over West 
  Bourgault Road and Skokomish Valley Road.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...
  - At 11:30 AM PST Thursday the stage was 16.9 feet.
  - Recent Activity...The maximum river stage in the 24 hours
    ending at 11:30 AM PST Thursday was 17.1 feet.
  - Forecast...The river is expected to fall below flood stage
    just after midnight tonight and continue falling to 16.4 feet
    late tomorrow evening.
  - Flood stage is 16.5 feet.
  - Flood History...This crest compares to a previous crest of
    16.8 feet on 11/23/1990.
  - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood

&&

LAT...LON 4744 12326 4733 12321 4736 12317 4733 12308
      4721 12321 4738 12340


$$

JD

866 
WGUS86 KSEW 240143
FLSSEW

Flood Statement
National Weather Service Seattle WA
543 PM PST Thu Dec 23 2021

...The Flood Warning continues for the following rivers in 
Washington...

  Skokomish River At Potlatch affecting Mason County.

.The Skokomish River at Potlatch will continue to recede falling 
below flood stage tonight. Another system will bring more rain to 
the south slopes of the Olympics Friday which will bring an end to 
the river levels lowering. The rain is not expected to cause the 
river to rise back above flood stage.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Motorists should not attempt to drive around barricades or drive 
cars through flooded areas.

Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood 
deaths occur in vehicles.

Additional information is available at www.weather.gov.

The next statement will be issued by late tonight at 400 AM PST.

&&


WAC045-241230-
/O.EXT.KSEW.FL.W.0101.000000T0000Z-211224T1224Z/
/SRPW1.1.ER.211223T0523Z.211223T1200Z.211224T0324Z.NO/
543 PM PST Thu Dec 23 2021

...FLOOD WARNING NOW IN EFFECT FROM THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE 
TONIGHT...

* WHAT...Minor flooding is occurring.

* WHERE...Skokomish River At Potlatch.

* WHEN...Until late tonight.

* IMPACTS...At 16.5 feet, the Skokomish River will cause widespread 
  flooding of pasture lands, with water flowing quickly over West 
  Bourgault Road and Skokomish Valley Road.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...
  - At 5:30 PM PST Thursday the stage was 16.6 feet.
  - Recent Activity...The maximum river stage in the 24 hours
    ending at 5:30 PM PST Thursday was 17.1 feet.
  - Forecast...The river is expected to fall below flood stage
    this evening and continue falling to 16.2 feet early Saturday
    morning.
  - Flood stage is 16.5 feet.
  - Flood History...This crest compares to a previous crest of
    16.5 feet on 01/07/2007.
  - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood

&&

LAT...LON 4744 12326 4733 12321 4736 12317 4733 12308
      4721 12321 4738 12340


$$

44

802 
WGUS86 KSEW 241218
FLSSEW

Flood Statement
National Weather Service Seattle WA
418 AM PST Fri Dec 24 2021

...The Flood Warning is cancelled for the following rivers in 
Washington...

  Skokomish River At Potlatch affecting Mason County.

.The Skokomish River at Potlatch is below flood stage and will 
continue to slowly recede. A rather cool weather pattern will keep 
showers falling as snow into the weekend in the Skokomish river 
basin.

WAC045-241330-
/O.CAN.KSEW.FL.W.0101.000000T0000Z-211224T1218Z/
/SRPW1.1.ER.211223T0523Z.211223T1200Z.211224T0324Z.NO/
418 AM PST Fri Dec 24 2021

...FLOOD WARNING IS CANCELLED...

The Flood Warning is cancelled for
  the Skokomish River At Potlatch.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...
  - At 4:00 AM PST Friday the stage at Potlatch was 16.2 feet.
  - Recent Activity...The maximum river stage in the 24 hours
    ending at 5:30 PM PST Thursday was 17.1 feet.
  - Forecast...The river will continue to slowly recede and is
    expected to remain below flood stage.
  - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood

&&

LAT...LON 4744 12326 4733 12321 4736 12317 4733 12308
      4721 12321 4738 12340


$$

19

The office that day

Everything else NWS Seattle, WA issued on the same UTC day.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Dec 21, 6:38 PM PST	Winter Weather Advisory	SEW		5 hr
Dec 22, 1:49 AM PST	Coastal Flood Advisory	SEW	San Juan	4 days

Nearby

River Flood Warnings in Washington, 2021 Every river flood warning in 2021

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive; the gauge from the NWS water service and the USGS.