Wet, windy weather increases landslide risk (It's already one of the wettest Februarys ever)

SEATTLE -- Get ready for two rounds of heavy rain and wind on Wednesday.

Q13 Meteorologist Rebecca Stevenson says round 1 of rain hits this morning and then will briefly lighten up in the later morning hours. Round 2 rainfall increases intensity near 2 p.m. and continues through midnight.

Wind follows a similar timing with morning wind gusts strongest on the Washington coast and the north interior. A wind advisory is in effect for gusts of up to 50 mph.



“Wednesday’s rain will push us into the top 10 wettest Februarys on record and it is only halfway through the month,” Q13 News Chief Meteorologist Walter Kelley said.

He added that “everyone” will get at least an inch of rain Wednesday, with more for the foothills and mountains. This will make for messy commutes during the morning and evening with standing water on the roads.



“Area rivers will run high and fast but the Skokomish will flood by Wednesday night,” Kelley said.

The second round of increasing wind will be southerly and most of us will be breezy through the Sound with gusts up to 40 mph near midnight through Thursday morning, Stevenson says.

By Thursday afternoon, the heaviest rain will begin to break up into showers mid morning. High temperatures near 50° will cool into the 40s. Snow levels will drop to around 3,000 feet.

Here's what else we are tracking:

Flood watch: all counties west and north of the Olympic mountains, includes Whatcom county. Flood warning in effect for the Skokomish river.

Freezing rain: the Cascade Passes this morning have been under advisory but central and eastern Washington will continue a Freezing rain advisory through 4 p.m. today.

High landslide risk: Saturated ground plus more rainfall today and tonight, take western Washington above the threshold for measuring landslide risk. Please be alert to the dangers of shifting ground and prior slide areas.