Another shot of heavy rain and gusty winds will move into the region late Thursday and early Friday before temperatures drop over the weekend, bringing the possibility of lowland snow next week, according to the National Weather Service.
The flood warning for the Satsop River ended just before 10 a.m. Wednesday, but the flood warning for the Chehalis River at Porter and above Grand Mound continues through Friday morning.
The heaviest rain is expected to arrive early Friday morning. The Weather Service is predicting a 100% chance of rain Friday, tapering off to 90% overnight and 40% Saturday, with accumulations of up to 2 inches possible. Winds will pick up early Friday morning, with gusts of 40-45 mph late Thursday night through Friday in Westport and along the coast, and 20-25 mph in Aberdeen.
Wednesday, the Weather Service described the weather pattern starting Saturday as “unsettled.” Temperatures are expected to drop below normal, with high temperatures ranging from 41 in Westport and 39 in Aberdeen on Monday to 37 and 36 Tuesday. Low temperatures Sunday and Monday will be in the upper 20s to low 30s. The latest forecast models call for “a chance of rain and snow” Monday and “a chance of snow” Tuesday.
Road closures
The Grays Harbor County road closure website showed nine roads closed for water over the pavement Wednesday morning. This included DeKay Road at the U.S. Highway 101 end, Wenzel Slough Road, Robertson Road, Tulips Road, Dwinell Road, Hiram Hall Road, Keys Road, Harp Road and Brady Loop Road.
Department of Transportation crews are working on two separate slides on state Route 109. The roadway remains closed just outside of Hoquiam at the Route 109 Spur for a landslide that blocked both lanes Tuesday morning. As of Wednesday morning it still was “closed until further notice,” a Department of Transportation spokesman said.
The roadway where a Monday night slide — about 30 feet across and 2 feet high — that blocked state Route 109 near Wreck Creek north of Moclips is open to one-way alternating traffic until further notice, the spokesman said.
The Hoquiam Police Department posted that some people are going around the road-closed signs at the slide nearest Hoquiam. The hillside was actively siding throughout the day Tuesday and the road is closed for the safety of drivers. The Police Department reminds drivers that, aside from the safety issue, anyone caught passing through the area can be hit with a criminal citation and mandatory court date.
Many farm fields are flooded Wednesday in the East County. (Michael Lang | Grays Harbor News Group)
Water surrounds a house Wednesday on Wenzel Slough Road. (Michael Lang | Grays Harbor News Group)
A bevy of trumpeter swans rest in a flooded field Wednesday. (Michael Lang | Grays Harbor News Group)
Trumpeter swans take off from a flooded field Wednesday. (Michael Lang | Grays Harbor News Group)
Vance Creek Pond 1 is swelled to flood the path around it Wednesday. (Michael Lang | Grays Harbor News Group)
A shelter at Vance Creek County Park is flooded Wednesday near Elma. (Michael Lang | Grays Harbor News Group)
