Name: Strong atmospheric river to slam Pacific Northwest
Uploaded: 2025-12-08T17:26:13.809Z
Duration: 1 min 8 s
Description: Multiple rounds of heavy rain will lead to a flood threat across the western half of both Washington and Oregon through the end of the week. A half-foot of rain, not snow, could fall along the coast, and over 1 foot of rain can’t be ruled out along the Cascades.

Multiple rounds of heavy rain will lead to a flood threat across the western half of both Washington and Oregon through the end of the week. A half-foot of rain, not snow, could fall along the coast, and over 1 foot of rain can’t be ruled out along the Cascades.

A strong atmospheric river is expected to impact the Pacific Northwest, bringing heavy rainfall and increasing the risk of flooding, particularly near rivers. Flood watches have been issued for cities including Eugene, Salem, Portland, and Seattle, with mild temperatures contributing to snow melt and runoff.

The weather system will also bring strong winds, especially at higher elevations and across the high plains. While some snow will reach the interior and the Rockies, the Cascades are expected to see less snowfall, and drought conditions persist in parts of the Intermountain West and Southwest.

Strong atmospheric river to slam Pacific Northwest

we're talking about some heavy rain. So this is a flood situation, right? River. And you gotta think, I mean, with snow level maybe going a little higher. Now we have a lot of snow melt and a lot of runoff. That could be a big problem. That's a two-fold threat. This will get some snow into the interior, but it's no secret the drought that's going on over the inner mountain west and also the southwest in terms of the height elevations. We had big rain, obviously, for Southern California, but we really need some snow for ski country out west. All right, so there are the flood watches. Eugene, Salem, Portland, Seattle. Temperatures are in the 50s this morning for Portland, Seattle. That's actually kind of mild. And then, of course, you have that energy coming across the Cascades, enters the Northern Rockies, obviously impacts there. We have a flood watch over there as well. Reinforcement coming in by midweek, which is why we have that AR value of four and a five. We have a more precip coming down. So remember, all this jet stream energy is coming right in through here, and then it starts to bank up with what's going on with the clippers. With the clippers, exactly. So you've got plenty of wind, whether it be high elevation, jet stream wind, or even gradient wind coming down in the high plains. So get ready for that. Yeah, snow's safe for the Rockies, not as much for the Cascades. Yeah, this will be really high.

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