Pacific storm barrage in Northwest, Northern California to finally break this weekend
Following a series of storms with drenching rain and strong winds from Northern California to Washington and British Columbia much of this week, a break of dry weather, with some sunshine included, returns this weekend.
Days of stormy weather are hammering the Pacific Northwest.
Another strong storm is gearing up to blow into the West Coast, bringing damaging wind and heavy rain on the heels of a separate midweek storm. AccuWeather meteorologists say residents will finally get a break in the active pattern over the weekend.
The midweek storm delivered wind gusts of 75 mph at Reno, Nevada, and Klamath Falls, Oregon, and 69 mph at Siskiyou County Airport, California. In the 48-hour period ending around midday on Wednesday, rainfall totals included 2.73 inches in Florence, Oregon, and 2.43 inches in Crescent City, California, with additional rain expected.
Snow levels with the first storm are expected to remain high, staying above mountain pass elevations through the Cascades and the northern Sierra Nevada. As a result, no snow is expected at Donner Pass, California, since the late-week storm is forecast to track farther north.
Snow levels will drop later in the week as the storm intensifies over the Pacific Northwest, lowering through the passes in Washington and potentially creating slippery travel conditions and reduced visibility for motorists crossing the Cascades.
A few inches of slushy snow may accumulate from late Thursday night into Friday across parts of the Cascades, leading to slippery travel on Stevens and Snoqualmie passes in Washington.
Localized flash flooding and mudslides are possible in areas that receive heavy rain from either storm, particularly near recent wildfire burn scars.
Rainfall from the second storm may be limited along the I-5 corridor in Northern California. Following the midweek storm that caused flight delays, the second system is not expected to bring significant rain to San Francisco or Sacramento, California. Meanwhile, a midweek windstorm in the Northeast may lead to arrival and departure delays at the airport hubs from Boston to New York City and Philadelphia.
Through Friday night, rainfall from the storms this week is expected to total 2 to 8 inches from the Northern California coast to western Washington and southwestern British Columbia, with up to 12 inches possible on west- and southwest-facing slopes of the Cascades, Coast Ranges and Olympic Mountains.
The rainfall will cause small streams and short-run rivers to flow fast and run high from northwestern California to southwestern British Columbia. Rain will run off into local lakes and reservoirs, contributing to a rise in water levels. The damp ground, where it rains, will act as a buffer against wildfires in the short term.
This image of the central and eastern Pacific Ocean was captured on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025. The image shows one potent storm onshore along the West Coast of the United States (right) and a new storm brewing well offshore (left). (AccuWeather Enhanced RealVue™ Satellite)
The late-week storm is expected to bring lighter winds to Northern California and southern Oregon compared to the midweek system. However, winds may be strong enough to cause flight delays at Seattle and Vancouver airports from Thursday into Friday. Most power outage risks associated with the second storm are expected to occur farther north, in contrast to the midweek storm.
For those not ready for the onslaught of winter-style storms setting up this early, a pause in the storm train is coming this weekend, with clouds breaking along the Pacific coast and plenty of sunshine for much of California.
Fog may develop in interior valleys Friday night and Saturday night, especially in areas that received significant rainfall earlier in the week. Any fog that develops may be slow to dissipate during the midday and afternoon due to the limited mid-November sun angle and light winds. Travelers may need extra time during the late-night and early morning hours due to reduced visibility from fog.
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