Name: Severe rain and wind causing more problems in the Pacific Northwest
Uploaded: 2025-12-18T08:44:16.094Z
Duration: 2 min 47 s
Description: Another atmospheric river is leading to widespread problems across the Northwest.

Another atmospheric river is leading to widespread problems across the Northwest.

Washington

The Pacific Northwest is experiencing severe weather, with strong winds and heavy rainfall impacting Washington, Oregon, and northern California. Wind gusts have reached up to 142 mph at high elevations, causing widespread power outages, particularly in western Montana and northern Idaho, where over 80% of some counties are without electricity.

Forecasters expect another round of storms to bring further rain and snow, with flood risks highest in western Oregon and travel disruptions likely. Snow levels are expected to drop to around 2,000 feet, increasing the risk of flooding in river areas such as Estacada, Oregon, which may reach major flood stage.

Severe rain and wind causing more problems in the Pacific Northwest

This is sort of the downtime between one atmospheric river vent and the next. But there is enough moisture and there's enough flow coming in that the west-facing slopes of the mountains do continue to see perpetual snow. And we're getting a break in most areas along Interstate 5 for the most part. But the winds have been so strong today. We had a gust of 62 mph in Spokane, 70 mph in Great Falls. A gust of 75 in Billings and Idaho Falls gusted to 60. Casper gusted to 66 mph. You get up into the more obscure, highest elevations, the ridgetops, the peaks. Look at this, 142 mph gust at Coldwater Ridge, Washington, Mount Hood, Oregon. Gusted to 138 mph. And we've had verified, well, sustained tropical storm force winds for much of the afternoon into much of Montana, with certainly gusts way higher than that. But overall, most of some of these counties in western Montana and northern Idaho are without power, 80-plus percent of a few of these counties in that deep maroon. So to no surprise, the wind advisories and really high wind warnings in the deep purple will continue with this really strong and fierce wind event. So this week, the storms have been at times hammering Washington, Oregon, and northern California. And we're getting a little break right now, but we're going to get back into it. So this is the quiet spell. You can see as we move forward through the evening, the rain's going to begin to pick back up. And the quiet spell certainly ends tonight. Tomorrow, widespread rain for western Oregon. Western, really most of Washington, with snow in the Cascades. The snow levels will be fluctuating a bit, but ultimately coming down. And the snow levels will be very low once we get into Friday, with snow levels down around 2,000 feet by then. So we have widespread trouble here on Thursday. The highest flood risk will be in western Oregon. Widespread travel disruptions will be out there. Friday, the snow levels drop to around 2,000 or 3,000 feet here for most of us. So certainly snow at the passes. The west slopes of the mountains facing the worst of the flood risk. If you get high enough up there, though, the flood risk is mitigated by the cold air and snow that keeps the moisture locked in place until the spring. But overall, this final round, 2 to 4 inches of rain in Portland Thursday to Friday. Some areas in the foothills east of I-5, 4 to 8 inches of rain. And then when we switch over, you can see fluctuating snow levels dropping on Friday. 1 to 2 foot snowfall for White Pass, 2 to 3 feet for Stevens Pass, and then half a foot or more for Stantium and Government Camp. So overall, the river flooding will still be a concern here. Estacada, Oregon, the big rise rolls in on Friday morning. We may touch major flood stage there. So that's going to be a big concern, major flooding in parts of western Oregon. Now, Anna, the issues are going to move east here with time when it comes to the wind.

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