The entire Washington coast was placed under another High Wind Warning by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency on Monday, December 17. The storm came on the heels of a storm that battered portions of Washington the week prior knocking trees down and cutting off power to others. The focus now shifts to flooding potential.
The Storm
Raymond and South Bend were issued high wind warnings estimating wind speeds of 30-40 mph with gust up to 60 mph. Heavy rains were also expected with 3-6 inches of rainfall over two days expected for the area. The storm made its landfall around noon on Monday and began affecting the northern areas of Pacific County around 3:00 p.m. and lasted into the late evening.
While windy, the area never experienced the gusty winds that were forecasted and saw peak gusts just above 50 mph for a short time. Rain did come down heavy at times and the Raymond roundabout was inundated with water for a few hours after the drainage ditch filled with water and had a hard time draining to the river.
Heavy seas have played havoc on the coastline and continue to batter the shore. Seas were estimated to be 23-28 feet with beach breakers cresting at 30+ feet. Residents and tourist alike were all told to stay off the beaches and stay away from the surf. The seas are expected to calm down in coming days as the aftermath of the storm moves on and the area settles down.
The afternoon on Tuesday, December 18 brought the wildest of the weather to the area with several strong thunderstorms that passed through the county. Dozens of lightning strikes were recorded and strong winds gusted through downtown Raymond with gust up to 50 mph. Heavy rains and hail made traveling through the area difficult at times as visibility dropped to less than 1/4 of a mile. Hail was the size of bb's was noted and made the roadways and sidewalks slippery. The lightning and thunder was a treat for many and made for a noisy start to the afternoon hours.
What's next?
December 20-24 brings along the highest tides of the year pushing river levels up and the potential risk of flooding. The last major flood for Pacific County was in 2015, but wasn't due to the rivers or high tides.
According to Pacific County Emergency Management Agency Director Scott McDougall the main culprit was sudden heavy rains that inundated the area. "I was actually called by the folks at Pioneer Grocery and told they had water inside the store," he said. "So I went down to see and watched as the water ran down from the hills. You could actually see the water running to the river, not from it."
NOAA forecasters, weather models, and emergency management agencies aren't certain about what will happen, but are stressing its better to prepare for the worst. High tides will be around 12 feet for four days before heading back down. The primary risk for the area as of now is heavy sudden rains and continuing rough seas pushing water inland. The two combined can cause havoc on low lying areas of South Bend and Raymond.
Raymond's new roundabout included a drainage project from Duryea street to Heath street that is expected to aid in draining overflowing river water and rain away from the area, but had issues on Monday night. Previously the area with the street lights would flood annually and shut down the roadway for a couple hours before the tide went back out. Travelers were forced to drive out through Old Willapa and to the golf course to get around town.
The other risk NOAA and agencies are concerned about is the chance of landslides due to heavy rains. Several portions of Pacific County are prone to landslides and could potentially cut off areas until they're able to be cleared. A section near the Port of Willapa has been prone to landslides in the past along with portions of Mill Creek, areas out near Brooklynn and State Route 6.
NOAA has issued a High Wind Watch for Thursday, December 20 from 1:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. High tide will be at 11:03 a.m. and will be 11.57 feet. The wind combined with high tide creates a potential for flooding. Residents are encouraged to monitor the weather forecast for developments. Updates will also be posted on the Willapa Harbor Herald and Willapa Harbor Scanner Facebook pages.
Be prepared for the worst and hope for the best
South Bend and Raymond will both have stations ready for preparing sand bags should the need arise. South Bend will have sandbags and sand behind Bud's Lumber. Residents would need to fill their own bags and bring a shovel. Raymond residents can do the same at the Raymond Public Works Department and would also need to bring a shovel when and if serious flooding is anticipated.
Director McDougall stresses that a lot of the responsibility for flood events and natural disaster preparedness rest on the shoulders of residents. "Everyone has to understand PCEMA is not a response agency," he said. "We organize the response to the event, but we cannot guarantee we can get to everyone in a emergency. Everyone needs to be as prepared as they can to survive for a few days to a few weeks in a emergency situation."
Since the 2007 storm technology has vastly increased in weather prediction according to McDougall. The Washington coast now has a doppler radar station in Copalis, WA that enables forecasters and forecasting models to see what was deemed "the blind spot" that resulted in the lack of notification during the 2007 storm.
"Right now it's just sit back and wait," McDougall said. "I'm thinking it won't be as bad as it could be, but we won't really know until it happens. We can just be as prepared as we can."