The highest tides of the winter and gale-force winds could cause coastal flooding along much of the Puget Sound tonight and Wednesday morning.
The National Weather Service on Monday issued a coastal flood watch for Marysville, Everett, Mukilteo, Edmonds and other areas along the shores of the south Puget Sound.
“A warning means there’s better than a 50-50 chance that there will be coastal flooding,” said Jay Albrecht, a National Weather Service meteorologist.
Both the sun and moon are nudging up close to the Earth right now (the sun is making its closest approach of the year), making for the highest tides of the winter for much of the West Coast, including in the Puget Sound.
Albrecht said the waves normally come in about 13.5 feet above the sound’s average elevation during the highest tides of the year
On its own, the high tide is usually only enough to cause some localized coastal flooding. Mix in the gale-force winds (39 mph to 54 mph) that are expected to blow in tonight and tomorrow morning, and that annual high tide could swell up to 14.5 feet.
“At 14.5 feet, there are a lot of places where there can be coastal flooding,” Albrecht said.
Normal high tides are about 10 feet above Puget Sound’s average elevation.
A storm with winds up to 45 mph is expected to move over Snohomish County this afternoon, bringing with it the possibility of more snow or rain.
Winds of 39 mph or greater are also forecast, but those will likely only blow over Puget Sound – the wind is expected to die down when it hits land.
The Weather Service will upgrade the watch to a warning today or tonight if it appears coastal flooding is imminent. If that happens, those who live along low-lying coastal areas are advised to take immediate steps to remove or secure property that could be damaged by flooding.
A coastal flood watch is a sign that people should stay tuned to weather updates today and tomorrow, said Roger Serra, director of the Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management.
“It’s nothing that we’re getting too concerned about as of yet,” Serra said. “It’s something that we’re watching.”
Reporter Lukas Velush: 425-339-3449 or lvelush@heraldnet.com.
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