The western parts of the United States are witnessing a heavy amount of rainfall and snow. But that’s not the end; the weather experts say there is more to come later this week.
The eleven states in the western United States will be witnessing a high volume of rain and snow. The main predictions are made for California, where the heaviest impact of rain and snow is predicted.
On Tuesday, the data came out and showed that the rain, snow, and high-speed winds have knocked out the power of about 140,000 people in Oregon.
The same situation is in Washington and California, where 31,000 and 18,000 people, respectively, have been struggling due to power outages.
This worst weather condition is developed due to the atmospheric river. It’s a narrow and long region of the atmosphere that is responsible for transporting moisture thousands of miles away.
The atmospheric river is the reason why the regulators have issued flood watches for more than 5.3 million people. The flood watch is active on the West Coast, which stretches up to Seattle.
The National Weather Service has informed all the state governments to be prepared for a series of Pacific storms. This will affect almost every region of the western U.S. with mountain snow, strong winds, and heavy rains.
Furthermore, the Pacific Northwest is also on high alert for high-speed winds. In Seattle, advisories and notices are put up to inform people about the 63 mph gust that will hit Grays Harbor County.
The wind gusts that have been recorded so far took place in Walker, California, with 90 mph gusts; Cambridge, Idaho, 84 mph; and Wagontire, Oregon, 82 mph. These are the strongest wind storms recorded in the country.
In Portland, people have been advised to stay away from weak trees. The winds can be strong enough to knock down the trees.
Further, west Portland has witnessed the highest rainfall ever, with 6 inches of precipitation in the last 24 hours.
The last record of the heaviest rainfall in Portland was set on December 26, 1996, at 1.08 inches. However, now the record is set in 2022 at 2.12 inches of rainfall.
The rainfall anticipated in the west in the coming week is predicted to be between 2-4 inches. Some of the isolated areas can witness rainfalls up to 6 inches.
The coastal regions have a forecast of expected 2-4 inches of rainfall, and isolated areas can expect more than that.
The biggest concern of areas like the western foothills of the Sierra Nevada and some parts of southern Oregon is flash floods.
Bay Area and Los Angeles County are also under the radar of flash floods. The areas with lower elevation can have situations that are unimaginable if the rain falls over 6 inches of estimates.
