Dry February to Come to a Screeching Halt in the Pacific Northwest This Week

Posted: February 27, 2022 10:10 am

Residents of the Pacific Northwest might have become too complacent over the last few weeks. An unseasonably dry February has put rain in the rearview mirror during one of the rainiest times of the year. However, all of that is about to change as March begins this week.

Seasonable Stormy Pattern Back in the Forecast for Pacific Northwest

The dry February came on the heels of an extremely soggy December and January. While the region enjoyed an elongated dry period in February, a more seasonable stormy pattern is setting up to close out February and start March.

The city of Seattle has only recorded 0.74 of an inch of rain in February. This translates to only about 20% of average. It has been even drier a few hours south in Portland with only 0.58 of an inch of rain measured through February 25. This amount of rain checks in at just 16% of the average amount this time of the year for the Rose City.

A mass of cold air infiltrated this corner of the U.S. this week. Along with the falling mercury came light snow accumulations in both Seattle and Portland. Although there is no snow in the forecast for these two cities in the coming days, the next system will bring a significant amount of rain.

Dry Start to Weekend With Rain Moving In

It was a dry start to the weekend for Seattle and Portland. However, by the end of the day Saturday, rain had moved in from the Pacific Ocean, bringing showers to the western portions of Oregon and Washington. This rain will move farther inland by the end of Sunday, signaling the start to a wet week for much of the region.

Forecasters are predicting a parade of storms that will keep the area wet over the next 10 days. It could be another week before the Pacific Northwest sees a day with no precipitation.

There will be a brief break from the showers late Sunday before another storm comes in on Monday. This second storm is expected to pack a bigger punch than what Saturday brought. It will also reach farther inland, impacting areas well beyond the immediate coastal region. The snow associated with this second wave may reach as far east as Wyoming by early Tuesday.

Yet another system will move ashore by Wednesday, hanging around in the Pacific Northwest well into Wednesday. This storm will eventually track into the northern Rockies, delivering precipitation in the form of snow.

One last storm will move through the area next Friday and Saturday. However, this storm is not expected to carry as much moisture as the previous systems.

Parade of Storms Good News for Drought

The onslaught of storms is good news for a region that is still dealing with widespread drought concerns. According to the U.S Drought Monitor, the bulk of central Oregon is under a state of exceptional drought, the highest level of designation by this organization. The series of storms will undoubtedly be a welcome relief for this area that is expected to see rain in the lower elevations and snow in the higher terrains.

When Will California See the Moisture?

Unfortunately for Northern California, this week of wet weather is not expected to travel as far south to bring precipitation to this area. A shift in the weather pattern in the next few weeks will potentially bring much-needed moisture to both the valleys and mountainous areas of central and Southern California. However, it is still too early to tell with certainty what impact this change in weather will have on the chances for meaningful precipitation.

The rainy season generally winds up by the end of March for Southern California. This means the area is on the clock to reign in some moisture ahead of the start of wildfire season.