New Pacific Storm Targeting the Northwest to Close Out Holiday Week

The weather headaches will not be over for the Pacific Northwest after the atmospheric river eases. A new storm is coming in right behind the firehose of moisture, threatening more heavy rain for the lower elevations and snow in the top terrains. Here is what you need to know if you are spending Thanksgiving in this corner of the country.

New Storm System Rolling Into the Northwest

Yet another storm is rolling in from the Pacific across the Northwest. The latest storm event could create a slew of travel issues in the hours leading up to the holiday and in the days immediately after. A constant flow of moisture from the Pacific will trigger long periods of rain up and down the busy Interstate 5 corridor in Washington and Oregon through Black Friday. While the late-week storm is not officially an atmospheric river, it will still pack plenty of moisture.

This storm is coming fresh on the heels of an atmospheric river that took aim at the region to start the holiday week. The northwestern U.S. will enjoy a brief break in the moisture machine early Wednesday. However, more rain and snow are on the way beginning late Wednesday and early Thursday.

Traffic will be slowed along Interstate 5 between Seattle and Portland as the rain pushes farther inland from the coast. This event will be less intense when compared to the early-week storm. However, its longer duration will mean that the effects could be just as severe. Forecasters are warning that, in addition to flooding, the region will be under the gun for potential mudslides. These threats will be amplified in recent burn scar areas.