Relentless rain to heighten risk for flooding, landslides across Northwest
By
Brandon Buckingham, AccuWeather Meteorologist
Published Jan 24, 2020 9:42 AM EDT
It has certainly been an active stretch of weather across the Northwest so far this year, with no end in sight for the days to come.
A northern shift in the storm track over the past week or so has allowed snow levels to rise across the Cascades and Olympic Mountains, resulting in a heightened threat for flooding due to a combination of rainfall and snowmelt. Consequently, numerous flood watches and warnings were in effect for several days this past week, and there were several reports of closed roads due to landslides.
As wave after wave of atmospheric disturbances roll into the region into next week, the threat for landslides and river flooding will only continue to increase as rain falls on saturated ground.
Many creeks and rivers across western Washington and Oregon are running well above average currently. The latest USGS water data for Washington and Oregon show area gauges running much higher than normal.
Unfortunately, there is little reprieve expected in the coming days as rounds of unsettled weather will continue.
In wave-like fashion, the intensity of the rainfall across the region will vary as each disturbance comes ashore. The current trend in the forecast will bring lowland cities like Seattle, Portland and Medford, Oregon, a steadier rain during the overnight hours followed by scattered activity during the daytime through this weekend.
In total, places like Seattle and Portland could add on a couple more inches of rain before the end of the month.
As moisture is wrung out along the foothills of the Cascades, rainfall totals of around a foot could be realized during the same time frame.
This will pose a threat to motorists, especially at night, as localized heavy rain may cause smaller creeks and streams to overflow their banks for a time. Motorists are urged to take necessary precautions if they see water on area roadways, as it can be difficult to determine the depth and speed of the flowing water.
Motorists should also exercise caution along secondary mountainside roads as debris may have washed onto the road surface or the road may have been washed away in some extreme cases.
Above-average precipitation will continue to track into the interior Northwest as well. Spokane, Washington, has already surpassed its average monthly rainfall. This month, however, is not expected to come close to the record-setting January of 1959, when 4.96 inches of liquid-equivalent precipitation fell over the city.
In response to the warmer air mass in place, snow levels across the Northwest will remain quite high into next week. In between the ebb and flow of each storm system, snow levels are expected to vary between 4,000 and 6,000 feet.
Earlier in the season, a number of storm systems came ashore with snow levels down to the valley floors in some cases. During these events, snow was able to pile up along the foothills of the Cascades, under 4,000 feet in elevation. With the warmer pattern in place and with no near-term end in sight, the combination of rainfall and snowmelt will continue to keep rivers running high.
The changing snow levels may have even resulted in area wildlife coming out of hiding in search for more snow. WSDOT cameras recorded what looks to be Sasquatch crossing a wildlife overpass over Interstate 90 just east of Snoqualmie Pass.
Unfortunately, this weather pattern will likely continue through most of next week, keeping many of the aforementioned threats in place across the region.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo
News / Winter Weather
Relentless rain to heighten risk for flooding, landslides across Northwest
By Brandon Buckingham, AccuWeather Meteorologist
Published Jan 24, 2020 9:42 AM EDT
It has certainly been an active stretch of weather across the Northwest so far this year, with no end in sight for the days to come.
A northern shift in the storm track over the past week or so has allowed snow levels to rise across the Cascades and Olympic Mountains, resulting in a heightened threat for flooding due to a combination of rainfall and snowmelt. Consequently, numerous flood watches and warnings were in effect for several days this past week, and there were several reports of closed roads due to landslides.
As wave after wave of atmospheric disturbances roll into the region into next week, the threat for landslides and river flooding will only continue to increase as rain falls on saturated ground.
Many creeks and rivers across western Washington and Oregon are running well above average currently. The latest USGS water data for Washington and Oregon show area gauges running much higher than normal.
Unfortunately, there is little reprieve expected in the coming days as rounds of unsettled weather will continue.
In wave-like fashion, the intensity of the rainfall across the region will vary as each disturbance comes ashore. The current trend in the forecast will bring lowland cities like Seattle, Portland and Medford, Oregon, a steadier rain during the overnight hours followed by scattered activity during the daytime through this weekend.
In total, places like Seattle and Portland could add on a couple more inches of rain before the end of the month.
As moisture is wrung out along the foothills of the Cascades, rainfall totals of around a foot could be realized during the same time frame.
This will pose a threat to motorists, especially at night, as localized heavy rain may cause smaller creeks and streams to overflow their banks for a time. Motorists are urged to take necessary precautions if they see water on area roadways, as it can be difficult to determine the depth and speed of the flowing water.
Related:
Motorists should also exercise caution along secondary mountainside roads as debris may have washed onto the road surface or the road may have been washed away in some extreme cases.
Above-average precipitation will continue to track into the interior Northwest as well. Spokane, Washington, has already surpassed its average monthly rainfall. This month, however, is not expected to come close to the record-setting January of 1959, when 4.96 inches of liquid-equivalent precipitation fell over the city.
In response to the warmer air mass in place, snow levels across the Northwest will remain quite high into next week. In between the ebb and flow of each storm system, snow levels are expected to vary between 4,000 and 6,000 feet.
Earlier in the season, a number of storm systems came ashore with snow levels down to the valley floors in some cases. During these events, snow was able to pile up along the foothills of the Cascades, under 4,000 feet in elevation. With the warmer pattern in place and with no near-term end in sight, the combination of rainfall and snowmelt will continue to keep rivers running high.
The changing snow levels may have even resulted in area wildlife coming out of hiding in search for more snow. WSDOT cameras recorded what looks to be Sasquatch crossing a wildlife overpass over Interstate 90 just east of Snoqualmie Pass.
Unfortunately, this weather pattern will likely continue through most of next week, keeping many of the aforementioned threats in place across the region.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo