A flash flood watch warning was issued for Pierce County Thursday and expires Feb. 6.

The warning is as follows:

…FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE FRIDAY NIGHT…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SEATTLE HAS EXPANDED THE

* FLOOD WATCH TO INCLUDE PORTIONS OF WESTERN WASHINGTON… INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES… GRAYS HARBOR…CLALLAM…JEFFERSON…SKAGIT…WHATCOM…PIERCE…SNOHOMISH.

* THROUGH LATE FRIDAY NIGHT

* THE SKOKOMISH RIVER IN MASON COUNTY IS LIKELY TO FLOOD TODAY OR TONIGHT AND A FLOOD WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT. OTHER RIVERS FLOWING OFF THE OLYMPIC MOUNTAINS…INCLUDING THE SATSOP AND BOGACHIEL…COULD FLOOD LATE TONIGHT OR FRIDAY.

* HEAVY RAIN HAS FALLEN IN THE OLYMPICS AND NORTH CASCADES SINCE WEDNESDAY NIGHT. MORE HEAVY RAIN AT TIMES IS FORECAST THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON…AND THERE COULD BE HEAVY RAIN IN THE MOUNT RAINIER AREA AS WELL.

* HEAVY RAIN IN THE NORTH CASCADES COULD CAUSE FLOODING ON RIVERS THERE…INCLUDING THE NOOKSACK…SKAGIT…AND STILLAGUAMISH. RAIN AROUND MOUNT RAINIER COULD CAUSE MINOR FLOODING ON THE PUYALLUP RIVER NEAR ORTING AND THE NISQUALLY RIVER NEAR NATIONAL. FLOODING ON THESE RIVERS WOULD PROBABLY BEGIN FRIDAY AFTERNOON OR EVENING AND IS LIKELY TO BE MINOR.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… A FLOOD WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR FLOODING BUT FLOODING IS NOT IMMINENT OR OCCURRING. MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AND BE READY TO ACT QUICKLY IF FLOODING IS OBSERVED OR A WARNING IS ISSUED.