More atmospheric rivers coming for flooded Washington and the West Coast
By Meteorologist Mary Gilbert
(CNN) — Rain has finally come to an end in flooded Washington and the Pacific Northwest, but the region can’t breathe easy: More heavy rain from new atmospheric rivers will arrive next week.
Rivers are dangerously swollen after a days-long deluge from a powerful atmospheric river triggered historic flooding, tens of thousands of evacuations and dozens of water rescues.
Some people were rescued from rapidly rising floodwater by helicopter while others were taken to safety by boat from their homes or atop cars.
Floodwater was waist deep in many places, but more than 15 feet deep in the hardest-hit areas like Sumas, Washington, where the coast guard rescued dozens.
The upcoming atmospheric rivers won’t be quite as potent as this week’s, but they could renew flood danger and will complicate cleanup efforts. Soaked ground struggles to absorb heavy rain, so flash flooding and rapid river rises are more likely with new bouts of rain.
Light rain will move into western Washington on Sunday, but it will just be an appetizer for the atmospheric river that dips into the area early Monday.
Washington will endure the brunt of the heaviest rain Monday, but some soaking rain will also move farther south into western Oregon as the day progresses. This atmospheric river is forecast to be at least a Level 4 of 5 or “strong” event for these states.
“Multiple days of continued rain next week could lead to additional significant impacts given the moderate to major flooding ongoing at present,” the Weather Prediction Center warned Thursday.
A Level 2 of 4 risk of flooding rainfall is already in place for much of western Washington Monday, with a Level 1 of 4 risk in western Oregon and far northwestern California, according to the WPC.
Rivers in the region that lower over the weekend could quickly surge back to dangerous levels as rain falls, including portions of the Snohomish and Skagit rivers. Both surged into major flood stage – the highest level – and crested at historic levels on Thursday, breaking records last set in 1990.
Wet weather will ease a bit in the Pacific Northwest early Tuesday before another atmospheric river-fueled storm arrives late in the day and continues through Wednesday. This storm will be more widespread than Monday’s, with rain likely from Washington to much of Northern California.
Some high-elevation snow from this storm will fall in portions of the Cascades and east into the northern Rockies.
The hits just keep coming: Additional storminess is possible later next week, too. The forecast that far out is still coming into focus, but anyone in the Pacific Northwest and Northern California can’t let their guard down.
The-CNN-Wire
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