Storms bringing rain and snow line up for Northwestern US
Incoming storms will unload inches of rain and feet of mountain snow on the Northwest, but there will be a break for a time in the new week.
Chief Meteorologist Jon Porter showcases the hourly forecast you can access from within the AccuWeather app that can provide windows of time based off weather conditions to make informed decisions.
The northern Pacific remained very active this past weekend as storms packed with ample moisture in the form of drenching rain and mountain snow moved into the northwestern United States.
From Thursday to Sunday, Seattle, Washington received 1.5 inches of rain, while several inches fell along the immediate coasts of Washington as well as the lower west-facing slopes of the Cascades and Coast Ranges.
Near 2 feet of snow fell at Stevens Pass, whereas the Snoqualmie Pass. received around 14 inches of snow.
Much of the Pacific Northwest will be dry by Monday morning, but periods rain are forecast to continue along the Washington coast and the Cascades.
A break from the storms is expected on Tuesday, with some sunshine and rebounding temperatures that may lead to significant snowmelt at the intermediate elevations, including pass levels. The runoff could trigger rockslides and even elevate the avalanche risk in the high country.
Later this week, beginning Wednesday along the coasts of Washington, Oregon and possibly Northern California, the next storm will approach with showers and breezy conditions. Multiple spokes of moisture from the system will push onshore and then inland, bringing rounds of low-elevation rain and mountain snow for the second half of the week and into the weekend.
The main part of the storm may linger over the Gulf of Alaska, stirring up rough seas and coastal waves for days alongside windy conditions. As the pattern evolves, a major batch of moisture—with heavy rain, snow and strong winds—may eventually be flung onshore.
Rainfall has been a few inches below the historical average for the Seattle and Tacoma, Washington, area since Dec. 1. Totals have been close to average in Portland and Eugene, Oregon, and Vancouver, British Columbia. Conditions have been wetter than average in The Dalles and Medford, Oregon, as well as Spokane, Washington.
Seattle typically receives around 18 inches of rain from the start of December to March 20, while Medford tends to average around 9.40 inches for the period.
No significant rain or snow is forecast to reach Southern California through next week.
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