FLOOD ALERT Thursday night through Saturday

The National Weather Service office in Hanford, CA has issued the following alert for the area encompassing Three Rivers and Sequoia National Park. If you haven’t already, sign up for emergency alerts at AlertTC.

A strong storm system over the Eastern Pacific Ocean will approach the coast of the Pacific Northwest Thursday night and Friday. An abundance of subtropical moisture will move inland over Central California along the southern periphery of this storm system Thursday night through Friday night. Mild air associated with this air mass will cause snow levels to rise to around 8000 feet Friday. In addition, heavy rainfall and the mild air mass will result in rapid snow melt in areas that have received several feet of snow in the past few weeks. In the Sierra Nevada foothills, two to four inches of rain is possible Thursday night through Saturday. In the Sierra Nevada below 8000 feet, three to five inches of rain is possible Thursday through Saturday. The majority of this rain should fall Friday and Friday night. The combination of heavy rainfall and rapid snow melt will cause water levels to rise on area rivers and streams Thursday night through Saturday. Persons living near rivers and streams should closely monitor water levels and be ready to move to higher ground if the threat of flooding becomes imminent. If you live in a flood prone area or near rivers and streams, now would be a good time to prepare and have an evacuation plan in place in the event high water becomes a threat to your safety.

[SOURCE: NOAA]