Drenching storms, cooler air to expand southward along West Coast
Following a surge of record challenging warmth earlier this week, cooler air will move in with lowering snow levels as storms continue to roll in from the Pacific with some reaching California.
Thunderstorms struck the Pacific Northwest with frequent lightning and heavy rain on the evening of March 26.
Storms will continue to roll in from the Pacific Ocean into the northwestern United States into next week, but over time, the main storm track will shift southward — resulting in a cooling trend and increasing the chances of rainfall farther south in California, AccuWeather meteorologists say.
The storm that arrived along the Washington and Oregon coasts late Wednesday failed to produce severe thunderstorms, primarily due to its late arrival. However, some locally heavy and gusty thunderstorms still developed along the Interstate 5 corridor.
This image of the northern Pacific Ocean was captured on Thursday morning, March 27, 2025. Western North America is on the right. Asia is on the left. Storms continue to line up from west to east. (AccuWeather Enhanced RealVue™ Satellite)
With thick clouds and drenching rain persisting along the coast into Friday evening, ponding may occur on some highways, rainfall could be heavy enough to trigger some rock and mudslides in the hilly terrain.
Snow levels will lower in the Cascades, Siskiyous and northern Sierra Nevada into Friday night. A mixture of rain and wet snow will fall over the ridges and peaks, with up to a foot of accumulation possible.
As the warmth-busting storm moves well inland on Saturday and Sunday, some dry air will follow. Where the March sun emerges, it will help spark a modest temperature rebound along much of the Pacific coast.
Another storm well offshore as of Friday will roll in later this weekend. The exact track and intensity of that storm is fluctuating, but indications suggest that at least a broad plume of moisture from the storm will move in farther south along the Pacific coast as the jet stream dips more.
Rain may soak some coastal areas in southern Oregon and Northern and Central California, with showers breaking inland from Sunday to Monday.
Next week, additional storms carrying batches of moisture will roll in from the Pacific. At least one system will bring opportunities for some late-season rain and mountain snow in Northern and Central California.
The best chance of rain showers to reach coastal areas of Southern California — including Los Angeles and San Diego — will be next Friday.
"The zone that could be the biggest beneficiary of the pattern through next week may stretch from southwestern Oregon to northwestern California," AccuWeather Chief On-Air Meteorologist Bernie Rayno said.
Between 5 and 10 inches of rain could fall in part of the region.
"As the pattern continues to evolve through next week, several feet of snow could fall in the high country of the Sierra Nevada, which would be a fine boost to seasonal totals prior to the end of wintry weather," Rayno added.
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