National Weather Service (NWS) meteorologists have issued weather warnings for the entire Oregon and Washington coast on Friday.
Why It Matters
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According to NOAA, atmospheric rivers are “long, narrow regions in the atmosphere—like rivers in the sky—that transport the majority of the water vapor outside of the tropics.”
Storms brought on by atmospheric rivers are notorious for their heavy snowfall, rain, and powerful winds. They are more prevalent on the West Coast, especially during the winter. Although the storms can bring valuable snow to augment reservoirs throughout the summer dry season, they can also cause fatal flooding, mudslides, and severe power outages.
What To Know
On Wednesday, hundreds of thousands of people in Oregon and Washington were under a variety of weather advisories, including a high surf advisory, hydrologic outlook, small craft advice, and gale warning.
According to the NWS forecast, the weather dangers are caused by a “moderately strong” atmospheric river. The region will experience poor weather from Friday night to Saturday. People were advised to stay away from the ocean during the storm.
“Destructive waves may wash over beaches, jetties, and other structures unexpectedly,” NWS Portland said in a high surf advisory. “People can be swept off rocks and jetties and drown while observing high surf. Minor beach erosion may damage coastal properties and buildings. Higher than normal water run-up is expected on beaches and low-lying shoreline.”
Despite the coastal dangers, NWS meteorologist Dev McMillian told Newsweek that the storm’s main effects will be heavy rainfall and gusty winds, which might cause isolated power outages.
Rainfall in the Olympics and Washington Cascades might reach 5 inches, according to NWS Seattle’s hydrologic outlook.
“This increase in potential rainfall could lead to higher river levels that are not yet reflected in the forecast – which will be updated later today,” NWS Seattle said in the outlook. “The Skokomish River is the only river currently forecast to reach flood stage on Saturday.”
Other rivers, including as the Bogachiel River on the Olympic Peninsula and the Skagit, Snohomish, Skykomish, and Snoqualmie Rivers that flow out of the Cascades, may hit flood stage on Saturday.
“Some uncertainty still remains over rainfall amounts and how the rivers will respond,” NWS Seattle said. “River conditions will continue to be monitored closely through the weekend.”
What Happens Next
The storm will pass through the area this weekend, with most weather alerts expiring on Saturday. As the storm moves through, people in the impacted areas should closely monitor local weather forecasts.
