EVERETT — Beginning Sunday evening, meteorologists are predicting periods of heavy rain, gusty winds and a chance for thunderstorms in Snohomish County throughout most of the week.
“That’ll probably be the curtain call for western Washington in terms of fire season,” meteorologist Maddie Kristell said. “There may have been a perception that things might have gone on a little bit longer like it did last year, but I’m sure everyone is glad that we’re shutting it down reasonably on time.”
On Sunday night, an atmospheric river is moving into the region, according to the National Weather Service in Seattle. Starting around 5 p.m. Sunday, heavy rain is expected into Tuesday, with 1 to 1½ inches of rain in Everett, according to the weather service. The same amount of rain is expected in the eastern parts of the county, such as Darrington and Gold Bar.
It’s the first significant rainfall of the season, according to the weather service. While the bulk of the rain is expected to stop on Wednesday, a slight drizzle could still remain.
Much heavier rain is expected near the coast, meteorologists said. Over four inches of rain could hit the Olympic peninsula.
Winds are also expected to pick up on Sunday night, with 20 to 25 mph winds blowing through Everett, according to the weather service. Those gusts are expected to taper off come Tuesday.
The first weather event of the season always brings initial challenges, Kristell said. Since it hasn’t rained much in the last few months, there are buildups on the road, like oil and various fluids, that make it more slippery than usual. Trees in the area are shedding their leaves, creating “nuisance flooding” associated with the leaves blocking storm drains.
It’s hard to predict whether the rain signifies a rainier fall season, Kristell said. Since meteorologists expect an El Niño winter, the fall and winter will most likely be drier than usual.
Jonathan Tall: 425-339-3486; jonathan.tall@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @snocojon.
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