SKAGIT COUNTY, Wash. — The U.S. National Weather Service has issued a Level 2 (Get Set) Flood Watch for all of Skagit County within the 100-year floodplain, effective until Thursday afternoon.

Washington State Task Force-1 departed for Skagit County Tuesday to assist with search and rescue operations. It marks the first time in more than a decade that the team has been deployed for this kind of mission.

The NWS says a series of weather systems will bring an estimated 2 to 6 inches of rain to western Washington through Wednesday. Officials say urban and small stream flooding is possible for areas with poor drainage, and saturated soils are at increased risk for landslides and debris flows.

The Burlington Police Department and Skagit County Emergency management issued a city-wide evacuation this morning, after initial reports that the Slough, part of the Skagit River watershed, has jumped its banks. The City has nearly 10,000 residents.

Drier weather is coming, but flooding effects are likely to continue for days across portions of western Washington state and northwestern Oregon.

By David Ryder and Steve Gorman BURLINGTON, Washington, Dec 12 (Reuters) - Residents and emergency crews in towns along the rain-engorged Skagit River in western Washington state braced on Friday for