Train of storms to drench the West this week
Waves of rain will soak locations along the West Coast this week as numerous storms pulse across the region, AccuWeather forecasters warn, with no notable end in sight through mid-November.
Unless you’re in Arizona or Hawaii, you’ll be setting your clocks back on the first weekend of November, but how long have we as a society been doing that?
In recent days, the familiar rhythm of gray skies and steady rain has returned in earnest once again to the West, and is on track to persist during much of this week. From the misty coasts of Washington to the rich, forested valleys of Oregon and Northern California, a stormy pattern will usher in addition rain, wind and even snow to some.
A stormy pattern ahead
On average, the wet season along the West coast typically occurs from the late fall to early spring. In Seattle, for example, out of their average annual rainfall of just over 39 inches, over 25 inches is typically observed from October to February.
Similarly, Portland, Oregon, typically records over 36 inches of rain in a year with roughly 63% of that observed within the same period.
Given the recent storm activity, this season has essentially commenced across the region. The pattern throughout this week will feature additional blustery storms that will continue to add to the growing tally.
“The next atmospheric river [starting midweek] heading for the Northwest and Northern California is reminiscent of the one that impacted the region from Oct. 24-26, when places like Eureka, California, and Portland, Oregon, tallied more than 1.50 inches of rain," highlighted AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Chad Merrill.
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Merrill added that recent rainfall in this part of the country has set the groundwork for potential flooding over the upcoming week. Not to be outdone, conditions along the coast will be breezy to gusty, leading to sporadic power outages.
Expansive storm to span nearly 2,000 miles
From early to midweek, a zone of high pressure positioned over the Northwest will be replaced with a rather elongated band of rain along the coast. Precipitation will impact many areas along a potent cold front, expanding from Alaska and coastal British Columbia, Canada, through Northern California.
Rain is expected to advance inland Tuesday through Wednesday night, with snowflakes likely in the Washington Cascades and far northern Rocky Mountains. Coastal and upslope mountain regions are projected to observe the highest rainfall totals, between 2-4 inches, from Tuesday through Wednesday night.
The AccuWeather Local StormMax™ for rainfall along the West Coast into midweek is 8 inches.
Gusts along the shoreline will gust upwards of 50 mph at times, forecasters warn, with conditions farther inland still expected to be blustery with wind gusts on the order of 25-45 mph. Mariners are urged to closely monitor the forecast in the coming days with rough boating conditions likely this week.
Meanwhile, temperatures throughout the week will not stray far from the historical average for early November, with widespread highs ranging in the 50s and 60s. AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures will be slightly lower, dipping into the 40s for most as the storm pushes onshore.
No rest for the storm-weary
The next storm will follow in rapid succession by early Thursday, pulsing into Washington and Oregon with additional wind, rain and mountain snowfall. Across the Cascades, Coastal Range and northern Rockies, additional rounds of snow will be possible as the week goes on as snow levels begin to creep on a downward trend.
While the next week will prove to be rather active along the West coast, long-range forecasters warn that an enduring pattern will result in additional storminess in the weeks to come.
"The persistent Gulf of Alaska trough will lead to more wet weather in the Northwest and Northern California going through the middle of November. There is a sign of a pattern change to dry and warmer weather heading into the week of Thanksgiving to early December,” noted Merrill.
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