PENDLETON – The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch that covers much of Eastern Oregon. The flood watch covers portions of the Grande Ronde, Umatilla and the John Day rivers through Sunday.

Hot weather is melting snowpack high in the Blue Mountains and that is causing local rivers to rapidly rise. The weather service office in Pendleton said the unseasonably warm temperatures will continue through much of the weekend and the increased runoff may cause flooding along several rivers beginning Sunday.

Already, the North Fork John Day River, near Dale, is overflowing the river channel and causing damage to Forest Road 55.

Kevin Martin, Umatilla National Forest supervisor, has closed Forest Road 55 to motorized vehicles from its junction with State Highway 395 to its junction with Forest Road 5505, east of Dale.

“We are closing this portion of Forest Road 55 to protect the public from hazards associated with flooding,” Martin said.