Heavy Moisture in Northwest to Drop to the South and East in Coming Days

Posted: March 2, 2022 3:39 pm

Rain a Welcome Relief for the Drought-Stricken Southwest as Washington Grapples with Immense Moisture

An atmospheric river currently positioned over the Pacific Northwest may push moisture south enough to bring much needed rain to Southern California. Meanwhile, it is Washington state that is taking the biggest hit to start the week.

Rain in Pacific Northwest to Push to the Southeast in Coming Days

The storm system that is now bringing torrential rain over the northwestern corner of the U.S. will begin to push to the east and the south over the coming days. As it tracks in this direction, it is forecast to bring significant amounts of moisture to parts of the drought-stricken Southwest. In addition to the precipitation, the region will also see a drastic shift in temperatures.

The heaviest of the rain is now positioned over Washington state. Olympic National Park recorded nearly 4.5 inches of rain in just three days with more moisture in the forecast for the coastal areas through the end of day Wednesday. The moisture will fall as snow in the higher terrains of the Cascade Mountains. By Wednesday, this moisture will move into Oregon with Northern California seeing the rain by Thursday.

A northward bulge in the jet stream is currently keeping the rain in the Northwest. As the jet stream dips to the south at the end of the week, it will bring the moisture along with it.

Temperatures to Drop Along with Arrival of Moisture

It will be quite the change in weather for the Southwest. This region experienced above normal temperatures and dry conditions to start the week. However, the change in the jet stream will deliver temperatures that may inch below average. For example, while Los Angeles and Phoenix will be baking in the 80s on Tuesday, the mercury will drop approximately 15 degrees by the end of the week to settle into average or below average readings. Los Angeles will barely reach the middle 60s by Friday, slightly above the average reading of 69 degrees for early March.

Rain Forecast to Help with Ongoing Drought Conditions

Most residents will welcome the chance of rain. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, the great majority of the Southwest is under moderate to severe drought conditions. Some parts of northwestern California, central Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and New Mexico are under the umbrella of an extreme drought designation. The central portions of Nevada and Oregon are under an exceptional drought classification, the highest designation recognized by the monitoring service.

The rain will be a welcome sight to these areas struggling with such severe drought. Cities in Oregon such as Eugene and Medford desperately need any rain that they can get. For instance, Medford recorded just 4% of its average monthly rainfall for the month of February.

This same system will eventually push to the east, bringing impacts to the Plains and into the central U.S. by the weekend.

Seattle Records Extreme Amounts of Rain

The Seattle area has taken the brunt of the rain over the last few days. According to the National Weather Service (NWS), Seattle recorded 2.97 inches of rain on Monday, breaking the previous record for February 28 of 1.46 inches. The date also took over fourth place in the list of wettest days in February on record for the city.

The rain to end the month was quite the shock for a region that had seen precipitation amounts that were well below normal for February. There was more rain measured in the last three days of the month than had fallen for the entire month up until that point. The 4.58 inches that fell on February 26, 27, and 28 is almost one inch above average for the month for the Emerald City.

This heavy precipitation has also brought the threat of avalanches and landslides. A mudslide in Auburn, Washington blocked a road while a second landslide in Bellevue also wreaked havoc on traffic.

Officials in Lewis County were forced to close nine miles of road on State Route 7 on Monday as Warner’s Creek overflowed its banks. Numerous flood watches, warnings, and advisories are in effect through at least Thursday throughout many areas of the state. The persistent rain may cause rivers, streams, and creeks to continue to overflow.

Heavy Snowfall Also Causes Travel Issues

The rain is not the only type of precipitation causing issues in the Evergreen State. According to the Northwest Avalanche Center (NWAC), the Washington Cascade Mountains are under a considerable amount of avalanche danger. The highest amount of danger is located on the eastern slopes of the northern tier of the Cascades.

The heavily traveled Snoqualmie and Stevens passes were both closed on Monday due to the threat of avalanches. These two passes are the major roadways that connect the western and eastern parts of the state.

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