Wet weather to provide drought relief across West
By
Jessica Storm, AccuWeather Meteorologist
Published Apr 17, 2022 5:01 AM EST
|
Updated Apr 18, 2022 8:18 PM EST
AccuWeather forecasters say the stormy pattern in the northwestern United States is starting up again as storms are expected to sweep through the region one by one. This can provide drought relief for the Northwest as rain and snow will fall throughout much of this week.
"The Gulf of Alaska will become the jumping-off point for numerous Pacific storms that will impact the northwestern United States with rounds of rain, wind and mountain snow throughout this week and right through next weekend and into early May," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Michael LeSeney.
Over the next couple of weeks, multiple dips in the jet stream are anticipated to develop and deepen over the Gulf of Alaska. This will steer moisture from the Pacific Ocean towards the Northwest.
As each dip departs the Gulf, another one will quickly move in to take its place and thereby extend the onslaught of unsettled weather across the Pacific Northwest with only the briefest of breaks in between the storms, according to LeSeney.
In the immediate forecast period, there are two storms on the way.
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"The first storm will be on a more typical path through the Northwest into Northern California, then eastward to the Rockies," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Matt Rinde. Rain and showers began to move onshore on Sunday night and will envelop the coast from Santa Rosa, California, to the Canadian border on Monday.
This storm will also bring with it cooler conditions for many. On Monday, afternoon temperatures are forecast to struggle in rising out of the lower 50s in the Northwest. In Eugene, Oregon, temperatures stagnated in the upper 40s throughout most of Monday. Averages for this time of year run in the upper 50s to lower 60s for high temperatures. Gusty winds along the coast of Oregon will also be a concern as winds could gust as high as 55 mph.
"The second storm builds on a far more significant dip in the jet stream spreading rain to the Northwest, but also continuing southward along the coast into Southern California later this week," said Rinde.
This next storm is likely to arrive along the coast early Wednesday and continue spreading inland throughout the day.
"This second will also be a snow-producer and help, if only slightly, build up the water tables for the coming dry season," explained Rinde, adding that April is a significant transition month whereby the jet stream increasingly shifts north.
Despite the wet season starting off strong in Northern California and the Pacific Northwest, precipitation has not been able to catch up with the intense drought conditions existing in the region. As of late last week, over 35% of the West is in extreme drought, according to the United States Drought Monitor. Oregon is one of the worst-off states, with over 55% in extreme drought.
"So far this season, just over 17 inches have fallen in Redding, California, since October, which is just over half of the city's normal rainfall during that time period," explained AccuWeather Meteorologist Nicole LoBiondo.
March brought very little additional rain to cities like Redding, Ukiah and San Francisco, California, with none of them reaching an inch of precipitation and percent of average precipitation in the teens. Fortunately, the active pattern of charging storms is expected to bring some relief.
"This prolonged assault of stormy weather will bring much-needed precipitation to the Pacific Northwest and extend their winter wet season deep into spring," said LeSeney.
For the latest weather news check back on AccuWeather.com. Watch the AccuWeather Network on DIRECTV, Frontier, Spectrum, fuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios. AccuWeather Now is now available on your preferred streaming platform.
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News / Weather Forecasts
Wet weather to provide drought relief across West
By Jessica Storm, AccuWeather Meteorologist
Published Apr 17, 2022 5:01 AM EST | Updated Apr 18, 2022 8:18 PM EST
AccuWeather forecasters say the stormy pattern in the northwestern United States is starting up again as storms are expected to sweep through the region one by one. This can provide drought relief for the Northwest as rain and snow will fall throughout much of this week.
"The Gulf of Alaska will become the jumping-off point for numerous Pacific storms that will impact the northwestern United States with rounds of rain, wind and mountain snow throughout this week and right through next weekend and into early May," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Michael LeSeney.
Over the next couple of weeks, multiple dips in the jet stream are anticipated to develop and deepen over the Gulf of Alaska. This will steer moisture from the Pacific Ocean towards the Northwest.
As each dip departs the Gulf, another one will quickly move in to take its place and thereby extend the onslaught of unsettled weather across the Pacific Northwest with only the briefest of breaks in between the storms, according to LeSeney.
In the immediate forecast period, there are two storms on the way.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
"The first storm will be on a more typical path through the Northwest into Northern California, then eastward to the Rockies," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Matt Rinde. Rain and showers began to move onshore on Sunday night and will envelop the coast from Santa Rosa, California, to the Canadian border on Monday.
This storm will also bring with it cooler conditions for many. On Monday, afternoon temperatures are forecast to struggle in rising out of the lower 50s in the Northwest. In Eugene, Oregon, temperatures stagnated in the upper 40s throughout most of Monday. Averages for this time of year run in the upper 50s to lower 60s for high temperatures. Gusty winds along the coast of Oregon will also be a concern as winds could gust as high as 55 mph.
"The second storm builds on a far more significant dip in the jet stream spreading rain to the Northwest, but also continuing southward along the coast into Southern California later this week," said Rinde.
This next storm is likely to arrive along the coast early Wednesday and continue spreading inland throughout the day.
"This second will also be a snow-producer and help, if only slightly, build up the water tables for the coming dry season," explained Rinde, adding that April is a significant transition month whereby the jet stream increasingly shifts north.
Despite the wet season starting off strong in Northern California and the Pacific Northwest, precipitation has not been able to catch up with the intense drought conditions existing in the region. As of late last week, over 35% of the West is in extreme drought, according to the United States Drought Monitor. Oregon is one of the worst-off states, with over 55% in extreme drought.
"So far this season, just over 17 inches have fallen in Redding, California, since October, which is just over half of the city's normal rainfall during that time period," explained AccuWeather Meteorologist Nicole LoBiondo.
March brought very little additional rain to cities like Redding, Ukiah and San Francisco, California, with none of them reaching an inch of precipitation and percent of average precipitation in the teens. Fortunately, the active pattern of charging storms is expected to bring some relief.
"This prolonged assault of stormy weather will bring much-needed precipitation to the Pacific Northwest and extend their winter wet season deep into spring," said LeSeney.
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For the latest weather news check back on AccuWeather.com. Watch the AccuWeather Network on DIRECTV, Frontier, Spectrum, fuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios. AccuWeather Now is now available on your preferred streaming platform.
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