Pacific Northwest Prepares for Atmospheric River Event

The Pacific Northwest is getting a sneak peek at what is ahead in the days to come as light rain began to fall across the region on Wednesday. Forecasters are warning that this is just an appetizer of what is to come by the end of the week when an atmospheric river unleashes across portions of the West Coast.

Heavy Rain to Douse Parts of the Northwest

A powerful atmospheric river is forecast to take aim at the Pacific Northwest beginning on Friday, dropping several inches of rain along the coastal region and snowfall measured in feet at the highest elevations. The hardest-hit areas could see up to 8 inches of rain. Widespread rainfall accumulations of 1 to 3 inches are on tap for much of the rest of the Northwest by the time that the moisture machine turns off.

The latest forecast models signal that the storm is shifting farther to the south than previously indicated. This will put the southern half of Oregon and Northern California in the bullseye for the heaviest rainfall. The system is expected to creep to the south as the weekend progresses, putting cities such as San Francisco in line for the greatest amount of moisture on Saturday and Sunday.