How the Pacific Northwest’s heat is contributing to our rainfall

While huge portions of the Midwest have been seeing flooding threats since the weekend, the Pacific Northwest has been sweltering under unprecedented high temperatures.

Imagine that areas of high pressure act like an umbrella. When moisture hits this umbrella, it’s pushed to the side and whatever is under the umbrella stays dry. An intense area of high pressure has set up on the west coast, and this high pressure system is forcing all moisture off to the side of the Pacific Northwest. 

Since we’re downstream from this high pressure system, all that moisture that’s been pushed out of the way has been funneled toward us. Oftentimes, mid-Missouri sees the same systems that hit the pacific west, just a few days later. With the pacific northwest being so stagnant, there haven’t been any systems funneled toward mid-Missouri to push this rainy weather out of the area. 

Luckily, conditions across the nation will be changing by late this week. Temperatures will be slowly cooling for those out west, and our rain chances will dry up as we head toward the weekend.