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West Coast Drenched: Atmospheric Rivers Unleash Flood Fury
19 Dec
Summary
- Atmospheric rivers are bringing heavy rain and snow to the West Coast.
- Record flooding and powerful windstorms have already impacted western Washington.
- Multiple rivers in Oregon may reach major flood stages, with crests not seen since 1996.
A relentless parade of Pacific storms, fueled by atmospheric rivers, is poised to continue impacting the West Coast through Christmas week. This weather pattern threatens to exacerbate heavy rainfall in already flooded areas of western Washington and extend into Oregon and California.
Recent severe weather has already caused significant disruption, including record flooding in western Washington and a powerful windstorm across the Northwest and Rockies. Now, new atmospheric rivers are bringing substantial rain and mountain snow. From Thursday night through Monday, parts of Washington, Oregon, and Northern California are expected to receive several more inches of rainfall, with higher totals anticipated in mountainous coastal ranges.
This continuous heavy rainfall is expected to trigger flash flooding and landslides, particularly in wildfire-scarred regions. Urban flooding is a concern in the Portland and Bay Area corridors, while several Oregon rivers are forecast to reach moderate or major flood stages, potentially seeing their highest crests since 1996. Western Washington rivers may remain in flood longer, while western Washington snowpack could be replenished with typical Cascades snow.
