FOX Weather Meteorologist Craig Herrera shows us how these massive rain storms that can stretch 250-350 miles wide and over 1,000 miles long can both be a benefit — and a bane to the West Coast.
SEATTLE — June 1 typically kicks off the start of the dry summer season in the Pacific Northwest.
Yet not this year as a rare atmospheric river-type storm aims at the region, promising record rainfall and even pushing some rivers to near flood stage.
“I heard June-uary is coming!” the National Weather Service in Seattle posted on X.
Some areas of light rain on Saturday will become much wetter on Sunday as a potent storm taps into some subtropical moisture, bringing more of a winter-type rainstorm to the start of meteorological summer.
(FOX Weather)
Rain will increase in intensity across the Northwest on Sunday afternoon with drenching rains likely Sunday night into Monday morning. Additional waves of rain will push through the region Tuesday into Wednesday.
About 1-2 inches of rain is likely around the Seattle and Puget Sound region. While that might not seem unusual for an area known for its rainfall, it is rare for heavy rains in June – Seattle only averages 1.45 inches for the entire month.
Up to 2-4 inches are likely in the Cascades, which could push several area rivers up to, or perhaps even a little over flood stage, the National Weather Service warned.
THESE ARE THE RAINIEST HOUR AND MINUTE IN AMERICAN HISTORY
(FOX Weather)
A similar soggy forecast is in store for northwestern Oregon, where the Portland and western Oregon lowlands could see 1-3 inches of rain and 2-5 inches or more across the mountains. Like Seattle, Portland averages just around 1.5 inches of rain for all of June.
(FOX Weather)
“It is not out of the question that there could be rapid rises or even minor flooding on a couple of our flashier creeks and drainages,” NWS Portland wrote in their Friday morning weather discussion, though they currently peg the odds at 10% or less.
But the winter throwback could take a radical shift into summer by the end of next week in the Northwest. Some long range forecasts are suggesting a rapid change in the weather pattern, bringing in the potential for much hotter weather as a strong ridge of high pressure builds into the region.