Rounds of storms to push into the Northwest this week
Damp, cooler conditions will return to the Pacific Northwest through the middle of October, helping drought conditions and even bringing the potential for mountain snow.
Umbrellas and raincoats will get a workout this week across the Northwest as a stretch of wet weather drenches the region.
Following a spell of early October warmth that tied and challenged records across parts of the Northwest, residents in the western U.S. will face another pattern shift into the upcoming week as damp, cooler conditions push into the West Coast.
AccuWeather meteorologists explain that temperatures this week will be noticeably lower than previous days.
“After a brief warm stretch this past weekend in cities across the western U.S., temperatures will fall well below the historical average as a storm moves into the Northwest,” stated AccuWeather Meteorologist Haley Taylor.
A cold front brought rain to coastal locations first thing Monday and will continue to march that rain eastward into Tuesday night. The arrival of the front will also mark the return of a brisk, Arctic air mass and rounds of stormy weather.
Typical October temperatures here to stay
Temperatures in cities like Seattle and Portland this week are expected to drop between 10-25 degrees Fahrenheit from values observed late last week and over the weekend. Cooler conditions are set to expand farther inland across the West into midweek.
By midweek, daytime temperatures in Seattle are forecast to only reach into the upper 50s F by the afternoon hours. In contrast, over the weekend, Emerald City observed temperatures climbing nearly to the 80-degree mark.
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Conditions in western Oregon will trend toward typical mid-October weather with rounds of rain and temperatures ranging into the 60s F. Locations such as Eugene, Oregon, will observe high temperatures from the middle to upper 60s throughout this week, a stark difference from temperatures in the 80s recorded over the weekend.
Cooler conditions will even reach into parts of Southern California this week.
Forecasters say that this week's stormy weather will not be a passing occasion. The pattern setting up through mid- to late October can usher in rounds of storms moving into the Northwest, with typical autumn-like temperatures expected to last for the foreseeable future.
Taylor added that the first round of rain to fall across the Northwest early this week may even prove beneficial, especially for areas still under drought conditions. However, burn scars in the Cascades will need to be monitored for any flash flooding potential.
Through Tuesday night, rainfall amounts across western Washington, Oregon and Northwest California will generally be under 1 inch. However, some locations along the Oregon Coastal Range can potentially collect up to 1.00-1.50 inches of rain.
Snow potential across the mountain peaks
Early this week, conditions will trend cool enough across the higher terrain to allow for periods of rain to transition to snow showers. However, pass level conditions in Oregon and Washington may not make the cut in terms of being cold enough for snowflakes.
“Despite the cooler air moving into the region through Tuesday night, snow levels aren’t expected to fall any lower than 6,000 feet, and most major passes in the Cascades can expect mainly rain,” stated Taylor.
However, by midweek, another energetic feature will slam into the Northwest and bring additional rainfall to parts of Washington, Oregon and Northern California before trudging into the northern Rocky Mountains. Forecasters say that the midweek storm can bring the risk of localized thunder and flash flooding across the region.
Chances for snow will return to the higher elevations of the Cascades and Rocky Mountains as this secondary storm moves into the region by midweek. Peaks across Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and Colorado will face the best potential for snowflakes, even accumulating at the highest levels.
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