There will be an elevated risk of flooding in Aberdeen on Friday, January 10, 2020. NOAA’s predicted
high tide at Aberdeen on Friday is 11.60 feet (MLLW datum) at 12:21 PM. The National Weather Service
is forecasting that the actual tide will be approximately 0.5 feet higher than NOAA’s prediction (12.10
feet MLLW) due to strong winds and low pressure. Heavy rainfall is forecasted to begin early Friday
morning and continue through the day. The combination of a very high tide and heavy rainfall can result
in internal flooding in the lowlands, especially within two to three hours before and after the high tide.
All of the City’s stormwater pump stations are operational and Public Works crews are ready to respond
to flooding if it occurs.

Officers responded just before 3 PM  to a report in the 500 block of N. M St. that the man was dousing the clothing he was wearing with gasoline and threatening to set himself on fire with lighters he was holding in both hands. 

Officers from APD and a crisis negotiator from the Hoquiam Police spoke with the man for over an hour while the Aberdeen Fire Department staged about a block away. During the negotiation phase, the man repeatedly lit the lighters. Officers were able to negotiate with the man to walk to the bottom of the stairs, where less-lethal tools were deployed and the man was taken into custody by multiple officers before he could use the lighters to ignite his clothing.

What you can do:
 Stay tuned to news and weather alerts, and be prepared for changing conditions. 
 Obtain free sandbags from the City and place them around doors and building openings. To pick
up sandbags, go to the City’s shop at 1201 W Heron Street and check-in with the receptionist.
 Move valuables or lift them up out of areas that flood.
 Stay out of floodwaters and flooded areas if possible.
 Keep drains clear by using a rake or other hand tool to clear debris. This will help floodwaters to
drain out of the area after the tide has ebbed. (Do not use hands, feet, or other body parts to
clear debris.)
 The City strongly advises against driving through floodwater, but if you do, DRIVE VERY SLOWLY
(5 MPH MAX) as wakes from vehicles swamp adjacent homes and businesses causing needless
damage.