The National Weather Service says thunderstorms have been detected in Clark County.
A short-term forecast says a weather radar spotted “a line of strong thunderstorms” extending just south of Castle Rock in Cowlitz County to Yacolt, and then on to Rooster Rock State Park, Ore. The thunderstorms are moving northeast at 15 mph.
The weather service listed Yacolt and Amboy among the affected communities, and it notes the greater Vancouver area in the forecast, as well.
“Dangerous cloud to ground lightning can be expected in these areas through roughly 7:30 a.m.,” the weather service said.
Flashes of lightning in the clouds and at least several lightning strikes were visible in the county around 6:30 a.m. The weather service said in a tweet that detection data showed somewhere between 250 to 350 lightning strikes have occurred over Southwest Washington and Northwest Oregon since midnight.
Heavy rain may cause water to pond and accumulate on roadways and in low spots, and cause slippery conditions for drivers and pedestrians, forecasters warned.
The weather service’s lightning safety tips include having alternate ways to receive alerts (weather or otherwise); finding a sturdy building or car with a “hard-top” roof for shelter; avoiding hilltops, open fields, tall trees and water activities; and staying inside for a half-hour after thunder can be heard.
