Weekend rain to bring rising streams
by KGW Meteorologist Rod Hill
Follow: @kgwrodhill
Updated Friday, Feb 14 at 11:47 AM
Steady rainfall took a break Friday, but will return Saturday. The heaviest weekend rain will fall Sunday evening and night.
The National Weather Service has issued a Flood Watch from the coast to the Cascades. Large rivers, such as the Willamette and Clackamas, are expected to rise an average of 3 to 5 feet through Monday, but remain below flood stage.
The Willamette river at Salem will likely rise to near bankful Sunday night, while the Willamette at Portland is forecast to rise to near 11 feet, well below the flood stage of 18 feet.
Smaller streams draining out of the Coast Range should be watched closely. Current projections show the Wilson River at Tillamook to rise within 2 feet of flood stage. Please be alert for areas of high water, especially Saturday and Sunday nights.
The above satellite photo shows a stream of moisture aimed at the Northwest. Combined with Portland rainfall from Thursday night, totals through Monday morning could reach 2 to 3 inches, which would be the heaviest rain since more than 3 inches fell in the last three days of September.
Possible rain totals from Thursday through Monday could reach 2 to 4 inches at the coast, 4 to 6 inches over the Coast Range, 2 to 3 inches across the metro valley and 4 to 7 inches over the Cascades.
Current forecast models show long enough dry breaks between periods of steady rain to reduce the risk of any widespread flooding. However, motorists should be aware of likely high water spots, especially at night, and small streams should be closely watched.
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