Go Back
  • For Business
  • |
  • Warnings
  • Data Suite
  • Newsletters
  • Advertising
  • Superior Accuracy™
At least 3 killed amid historic flash flooding in New Mexico town. Click for the latest Chevron right
‘We will not leave’: 180 still missing in Texas flood zone as death toll hits 111. Read more Chevron right

Columbus, OH

75°F
Location Chevron down
Location News Videos
Use Current Location
Recent

Columbus

Ohio

75°
No results found.
Try searching for a city, zip code or point of interest.
settings
Columbus, OH Weather
Today WinterCast Local {stormName} Tracker Hourly Daily Radar MinuteCast Monthly Air Quality Health & Activities

Around the Globe

Hurricane Tracker

Severe Weather

Radar & Maps

News

News & Features

Astronomy

Business

Climate

Health

Recreation

Sports

Travel

For Business

Warnings

Data Suite

Newsletters

Advertising

Superior Accuracy™

Video

Winter Center

AccuWeather Early Hurricane Center Top Stories Trending Today Astronomy Heat Climate Health Recreation In Memoriam Case Studies Blogs & Webinars

News / Weather Forecasts

'Atmospheric river' will raise the risk of flooding in the Pacific Northwest into next week

The blows will keep on coming for the already saturated region, as two additional storms are predicted to unleash torrents of rain. Seattle and Portland will pick up the heaviest rain yet.

By Bill Deger, AccuWeather senior meteorologist

Published Nov 3, 2023 11:07 AM EDT | Updated Nov 5, 2023 5:30 AM EDT

Copied

A storm barrage will continue to deliver heavy rain, escalating flooding concerns and causing disruptions to travel into next week.

Storms bringing rounds of rain and high elevation mountain snow will continue for a little longer, as AccuWeather meteorologists say yet another storm being carried ashore amid an "atmospheric river" will bring more heavy rain and gusty winds to the region early this week.

The rain, expected to add to the tally of several inches in rain gauges across portions of California, Oregon and Washington through Tuesday, could lead to a total amount of around a foot in some areas when factoring in what has already fallen since the past Wednesday. The repeated downpours can slow travel and cause flooding on streets and streams.

Combined with localized strong, gusty winds, the storms will no doubt ruin some outdoor plans, but the stormy forecast isn't all bad news. A long-standing and severe drought across western Oregon and Washington can rapidly improve in some areas thanks to the repeated rounds of rain.

No rest for the waterlogged, with two more storms expected

This past week, the first in a series of storms moved ashore in the Pacific Northwest from Wednesday into Thursday, as accurately predicted by AccuWeather. Rain, heavy at times, soaked the coast and the Interstate 5 corridor from northwestern California north to Washington, bringing 1 to locally 5 inches of rain, along with gusty winds.

The wet weather came after a nearly week-long break from precipitation in the region that followed the season's first significant snow in the mountains of the Cascades and northern Rockies. This time around, snow levels in the Cascades were very high—above pass levels—owing to the milder Pacific air moving in with the storm.

One more storm is on the way along the atmospheric river, a flow of deep atmospheric moisture off the Pacific that brings multiple rounds of heavy precipitation. The next storm will occur Sunday night through early Tuesday. Unlike the period between the first and second storms when it was primarily dry to end the week, showers can linger and bridge the gap between the storm that moved out of the area Saturday night and the next storm set to arrive late Sunday.

AccuWeather meteorologists warn that the rain amounts from the next storm can be even heavier than from the first, including in the major cities of Portland and Seattle.

The AccuWeather Local StormMax™ from the three storms over the course of six days is an astounding 15 inches. Rainfall of that magnitude, and even below it, would cause flooding issues.

"In some cases, enough rain may fall to lead to flash flooding of small streams, as well as mud and other debris flows," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said. "Some of the short-run rivers that flow out of the Olympics and western slopes of the Cascades will rise significantly and swiftly."

Snow levels in the Cascades will remain very high for both storms, above the elevation where cars drive and most people reside.

A silver lining: Drought relief

Due to a lack of moisture-packed storms, parts of the Northwest have been dealing with drought conditions for months now. AccuWeather meteorologists believe that the storm train moving through the region can go a long way in helping to alleviate that drought into November.

GET THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP

  •     Have the app? Unlock AccuWeather Alerts™ with Premium+

"One of the effects of the storms will be to hack away at the drought that has been building in the region since early in the summer," said Sosnowski. "In some cases, that drought may be wiped out by the next Drought Monitor report that comes out next week, or the following update mid-month."

The U.S. Drought Monitor, the official interagency source for where drought conditions currently exist across the country, reported severe to extreme drought (levels 2-3 on a 4-point scale) over a large portion of the Northwest in their latest update released on Nov. 2. Drought of that magnitude was reported in nearly 36 percent of Washington nearly 19 percent of Oregon. Additionally, about 70-80 percent of land in both states was considered abnormally dry.

The most dire drought conditions were centered precisely in the areas expected to see the heaviest rain with the current atmospheric river event: the coast and the upsloping hills and mountains of the Olympic and Cascade ranges.

Beyond the current round of storminess, an extended dry period can return to the region for the middle and end of the new week, as the storm track is expected to shift offshore. However, it is not out of the question that by the end of this week and the upcoming weekend, a few of those storms can try to make it back on shore.

See Also:

The planet is heating up faster than predicted
Storm Ciarán turns deadly in Europe, produces 100-mph winds
Tarantula sighting causes car accident in Death Valley National Park
Why the US kept Daylight Saving Time

Want next-level safety, ad-free? Unlock advanced, hyperlocal severe weather alerts when you subscribe to Premium+ on the AccuWeather app. AccuWeather Alerts™ are prompted by our expert meteorologists who monitor and analyze dangerous weather risks 24/7 to keep you and your family safer.

Report a Typo

Weather News

video

House swept away by raging floodwaters in New Mexico

Jul. 8, 2025
Weather News

‘We will not leave’: 180 missing in Texas floods, death toll hits 111

Jul. 9, 2025
Weather News

US Coast Guard rescue swimmer hailed as a hero after saving 165 kids f...

Jul. 8, 2025
Weather News

The faces of the Texas flooding tragedy

Jul. 7, 2025
Severe Weather

Severe weather to rumble in the central US through the holiday weekend

Jul. 6, 2025
Weather News

Record sargassum seaweed piles up on Caribbean islands, Gulf

Jul. 2, 2025
Weather News

Alabama teen in ICU after lightning strike hits boat, causing burns an...

Jul. 2, 2025
Show more Show less Chevron down

Topics

AccuWeather Early

Hurricane Center

Top Stories

Trending Today

Astronomy

Heat

Climate

Health

Recreation

In Memoriam

Case Studies

Blogs & Webinars

Top Stories

Weather News

Deadly flash flooding devastates wildfire-scarred New Mexico town

1 hour ago

Weather News

Camp Mystic, site of deadly Texas flooding, is in 'Flash Flood Alley'

14 hours ago

Weather News

‘Oh my God, we’re floating’: What people faced in amid Texas floods

1 day ago

Weather Forecasts

Flash flood threat to continue in central Texas into midweek

45 minutes ago

Severe Weather

Flooding downpours, severe thunderstorms to mitigate heat in East

16 hours ago

More Stories

Featured Stories

Travel

FAA investigating part of a Delta Air Lines wing fell onto a driveway

5 days ago

Health

Three hospitalized, 21 injured after bee attack in France

1 day ago

Weather News

France leads Europe in saying au revoir to beach and park smoking

5 days ago

Weather News

125,000-year-old ‘fat factory’ run by Neanderthals discovered

1 day ago

Weather News

An ambitious vision of a city built from lava

1 day ago

AccuWeather Weather Forecasts 'Atmospheric river' will raise the risk of flooding in the Pacific Northwest into next week
Company
Proven Superior Accuracy About AccuWeather Digital Advertising Careers Press Contact Us
Products & Services
For Business For Partners For Advertising AccuWeather APIs AccuWeather Connect RealFeel® and RealFeel Shade™ Personal Weather Stations
Apps & Downloads
iPhone App Android App See all Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
AccuWeather Premium AccuWeather Professional
More
AccuWeather Ready Business Health Hurricane Leisure and Recreation Severe Weather Space and Astronomy Sports Travel Weather News Winter Center
Company
Proven Superior Accuracy About AccuWeather Digital Advertising Careers Press Contact Us
Products & Services
For Business For Partners For Advertising AccuWeather APIs AccuWeather Connect RealFeel® and RealFeel Shade™ Personal Weather Stations
Apps & Downloads
iPhone App Android App See all Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
AccuWeather Premium AccuWeather Professional
More
AccuWeather Ready Business Health Hurricane Leisure and Recreation Severe Weather Space and Astronomy Sports Travel Weather News Winter Center
© 2025 AccuWeather, Inc. "AccuWeather" and sun design are registered trademarks of AccuWeather, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | About Your Privacy Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information

...

...

...