Flood Watch and Flood Advisory for St. Helens

We are currently under a Flood Advisory and a Flood Watch until Wednesday morning and afternoon, January 13, 2021 (see National Weather Service statements below). Remember, NEVER cross a flooded roadway. It takes just 12 inches of rushing water to carry away most cars and just 2 feet of rushing water can carry away SUVs and trucks. Turn around, don’t drown.

The sandbag station on Deer Island Road across from the CC Rider Transit Center (near 1230 Deer Island Road) has been stocked by the St. Helens Public Works crew. Be sure to bring your own shovel. Please be respectful of your neighbors and leave sand only for emergency flooding situations in St. Helens.

If you see a clogged storm drain or flooding on roadways in St. Helens, call non-emergency dispatch at 503-397-1521 to report the issue. Our Public Works crew is on call 24/7 to respond to reports of flooding.

******

Flood Watch

National Weather Service Portland OR

509 AM PST Tue Jan 12 2021

ORZ001>008-010>013-015-016-WAZ019>022-039-040-045-046-130200-

/O.CON.KPQR.FA.A.0001.000000T0000Z-210113T1800Z/

/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

North Oregon Coast-Central Oregon Coast-Coast Range of Northwest

Oregon-Central Coast Range of Western Oregon-Lower Columbia-Greater

Portland Metro Area-Central Willamette Valley-South Willamette

Valley-Northern Oregon Cascade Foothills-Northern Oregon Cascades-

Cascade Foothills in Lane County-Cascades in Lane County-Western

Columbia River Gorge-Central Columbia River Gorge-South Washington

Cascades-Willapa Hills-South Washington Coast-I-5 Corridor in

Cowlitz County-Greater Vancouver Area-South Washington Cascade

Foothills-Western Columbia River Gorge-Central Columbia River Gorge-

Including the cities of Albany, Multnomah Falls, Yale Lake,

Washougal, Cascade Locks, Veneta, Wind River Valley, Tidewater,

McMinnville, Astoria, Coldwater Ridge Visitors Center, Wilsonville,

Estacada, Oakridge, Netarts, Grande Ronde, Newport, Clatskanie,

Naselle, Castle Rock, Silver Falls State Park, Long Beach, Kelso,

Jasper, Vernonia, Sandy, Corbett, Eugene, Santiam Pass, Rooster

Rock, Ridgefield, Ryderwood, Toutle, Swisshome, Cottage Grove,

Amboy, St. Helens, Ocean Park, Jewell, Battle Ground, Cape

Disappointment, Longview, Yacolt, Dallas, Ariel, Cape Foulweather,

McKenzie Bridge, Willapa, Hood River, Corvallis, North Bonneville,

Lees Camp, Sweet Home, Stevenson, Detroit, Government Camp,

Cathlamet, Cannon Beach, Cougar, Lebanon, Salem, Oregon City,

Stayton, Florence, Troutdale, Vida, Burnt Woods, Elk Mountain,

Carson, Trask, Vancouver, McKenzie Pass, Hillsboro, Springfield,

Lowell, Raymond, Underwood, Frances, Woodburn, Sunset Summit,

Lincoln City, Willamette Pass, Yachats, Pacific City, Mount St.

Helens, Portland, Gresham, Tillamook, and Lake Merwin

509 AM PST Tue Jan 12 2021

...FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING...

The Flood Watch continues for

* Flood Watch for portions of Northwest Oregon and Southwest

  Washington, including the Cascade and Cascade Foothills, Coast

  Range and Willapa Hills, Columbia River Gorge, Willamette Valley

  and Greater Portland Metro Area, Lower Columbia and I-5 Corridor

  in Cowlitz County, Northwest Oregon and Southwest Washington Coast.

* Through Wednesday morning

* A slow moving front with a tap into an atmospheric river of

  moisture will continue rain through Wednesday. The rain will be

  heavy at times, especially over the coastal mountains and the

  Cascades. A front stalled near the northern coasts this morning,

  and the highest rainfall totals have been observed in the Willapa

  Hills and north Oregon coast range where around 4 inches of rain

  has fallen in the last 24 hours. The area of heavy rain will move

  south and east through the day.

* Rivers and small streams are rising in response to the heavy rain,

  and many will rise close to or above flood levels today and

  Wednesday. The heavy rain may also result in urban flooding today,

  especially in low lying areas with poor drainage. Saturated soils

  may also lead to land slides.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Flood Watch means there is a potential for flooding based on

current forecasts. You should monitor later forecasts and be alert

for possible flood warnings. Those living in areas prone to flooding

should be prepared to take action should flooding develop.

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.

&&

$$

TJ

Flood Advisory

Flood Advisory

National Weather Service Portland OR

754 AM PST Tue Jan 12 2021

ORC003-005-007-009-027-039-041-047-051-053-057-067-071-WAC011-015-

049-059-069-132045-

/O.NEW.KPQR.FA.Y.0001.210112T1554Z-210113T2045Z/

/00000.N.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

Benton OR-Clackamas OR-Clatsop OR-Columbia OR-Hood River OR-Lane OR-

Lincoln OR-Marion OR-Multnomah OR-Polk OR-Tillamook OR-Washington OR-

Yamhill OR-Clark WA-Cowlitz WA-Pacific WA-Skamania WA-Wahkiakum WA-

754 AM PST Tue Jan 12 2021

The National Weather Service in Portland has issued a

* Urban and Small Stream Flood Advisory for...

  Clackamas County in northwestern Oregon...

  Clatsop County in northwestern Oregon...

  Columbia County in northwestern Oregon...

  Central Hood River County in northwestern Oregon...

  Southeastern Marion County in northwestern Oregon...

  Multnomah County in northwestern Oregon...

  Polk County in northwestern Oregon...

  Tillamook County in northwestern Oregon...

  Washington County in northwestern Oregon...

  Yamhill County in northwestern Oregon...

  Central Benton County in western Oregon...

  Northwestern Lane County in western Oregon...

  Lincoln County in western Oregon...

  Clark County in southwestern Washington...

  Cowlitz County in southwestern Washington...

  Pacific County in southwestern Washington...

  Skamania County in southwestern Washington...

  Wahkiakum County in southwestern Washington...

* Until 1245 PM PST Wednesday.

* At 754 AM PST, Doppler radar and automated rain gauges indicated

  heavy rain. This is causing urban and small stream flooding.

  Overflowing poor drainage areas have already caused minor flooding

  in the advisory area. Between 1 and 4 inches of rain have fallen.

Additional rainfall of 2 to 4 inches today and tonight will result

in minor flooding of creeks and flood prone roads.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Turn around, don`t drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood

deaths occur in vehicles.

&&

LAT...LON 4463 12414 4563 12399 4623 12410 4667 12409

      4659 12337 4638 12336 4639 12228 4600 12169

      4526 12157 4520 12191 4469 12197 4475 12249

      4555 12247 4554 12303 4507 12326 4387 12355

      4394 12381 4386 12416 4398 12404 4397 12411

$$

DAB

https://www.weather.gov/