Dateline: Albany, OR Posting: December 17, 2015 6:00 pm pst by: Jim Willhight
The National Weather Service (NWS) issued BOTH Wind and Flood Advisories for the local area. The Wind Advisory until 2 am overnight (12/18) tonight calls for Southerly winds sustained 20 - 30 MPH with gusts to 45 MPH.
The Local Flood Advisory for Urban and Small Streams in the Linn County and East Benton County streams was issued at 3:30 pm and is valid until 9:30 pm this evening. The region wide Flood Watch remains in effect until 4:00 am December 19, 2015. Here are the locally relevant portions of the Flood Advisory as posted today:
LOCAL FLOOD ADVISORY
AT 330 PM PST...DOPPLER RADAR AND OBSERVATIONS CONTINUE TO
INDICATE HEAVY RAIN ACROSS MUCH OF SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON AND
NORTHWEST OREGON. 1 TO 3 INCHES OF RAIN HAVE BEEN OBSERVED ACROSS
THE WILLAMETTE VALLEY.
* REPORTS OF MINOR PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED
THIS AFTERNOON. ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINFALL MOVING ACROSS THE AREA
WILL RESULT IN MINOR FLOODING ON ROADWAYS AND IN LOW LYING AREA
THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THIS RAINFALL MAY ALSO PUSH CREEKS AND
SMALLER RIVERS OUT OF THEIR BANKS...AND POSSIBLE MUDSLIDES AND
ROCKSLIDES MAY CAUSE TRANSPORTATION ISSUES THROUGH THIS EVENING.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
MOST FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. NEVER DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO
AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE ROADWAY. FLOOD WATERS ARE USUALLY
DEEPER THAN THEY APPEAR. JUST ONE FOOT OF FLOWING WATER IS POWERFUL
ENOUGH TO SWEEP VEHICLES OFF THE ROAD. WHEN ENCOUNTERING FLOODED
ROADS MAKE THE SMART CHOICE...TURN AROUND...DON'T DROWN.
EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE PONDING OF WATER IN
URBAN AREAS...HIGHWAYS...STREETS AND UNDERPASSES AS WELL AS OTHER
POOR DRAINAGE AREAS AND LOW LYING SPOTS. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO TRAVEL
ACROSS FLOODED ROADS. FIND ALTERNATE ROUTES. IT TAKES ONLY A FEW
INCHES OF SWIFTLY FLOWING WATER TO CARRY VEHICLES AWAY.
LANDSLIDES AND DEBRIS FLOWS ARE POSSIBLE DURING THIS FLOOD EVENT.
PEOPLE...STRUCTURES AND ROADS LOCATED BELOW STEEP SLOPES...IN CANYONS
AND NEAR THE MOUTHS OF CANYONS MAY BE AT SERIOUS RISK FROM RAPIDLY
MOVING LANDSLIDES.
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