Pacific Northwest seeing major storm with high winds, heavy rainfall

Nov. 20

Extreme winds, heavy rain and mountain snow are coming down in northern California, Oregon and Washington as a bomb-cyclone spins off the Pacific coast. The storm started to bring storm impacts Tuesday, and as of Wednesday, damage was visible across the region.

Residents took footage of downed trees, property damage, and standing water from heavy rain. Millions are without power.

The highest wind report was 98 mph at Mattole Road, California. Gusts of 65 mph and higher were reported across northern California and southern Oregon. The ocean waves peaked at twenty-four to twenty-six feet offshore of Eureka, CA, and waves will peak at about fourteen to sixteen feet Wednesday through Friday, thanks to lighter winds and a changing wind direction.

The winds will stay lighter, but windy, through the rest of the week, now that the cold front has moved onshore.

Rainfall totals of nearly six inches were reported northwest of Napa, CA, and there are reports of three to five inches across northern CA, just within the first twenty-four hours of the storm.

An additional four to eight inches is expected in northern California, as another low spins onshore, bringing the atmospheric river into California through the end of the weekend.

Soil moisture is approaching saturation in Humboldt and Del Norte, CA, so the second storm and continued rain will increase the flooding threat.

Nov. 19

A bomb-cyclone is going to bring nearly a week of weather impacts to the Pacific Northwest, starting Tuesday.

A bomb-cyclone is defined by a storm that strengthens rapidly, with pressure falling at least twenty-four millibars within twenty-four hours. With bomb-cyclones come extreme winds and plenty of rain. However, what makes this storm unique is the atmospheric river that will drive into the Pacific Northwest.

The cyclone is expected to cut off from the jet stream, staying stationary off the coast of Washington and Oregon.

As the storm spins in place, it is going to pull a stream of abundant moisture from the Pacific Ocean, which will move inland to Oregon and northern California, creating constant, heavy rainfall.

Rain will add up daily through Sunday, before a multi-day break is expected.

Rainfall totals will range from around three inches, to around ten inches in northern California and the southwest corner of Oregon. This may create dangerous flooding, with the potential for road failure, power outages and mudslides. On a more positive note, the mountains, including the volcanoes and the Cascades, may pick up around one to three feet of snow, which will excite skiers and snowboarders.

Winter Storm Warnings and Winter Weather Advisories will be in effect through Wednesday evening. However, snow lovers will want to wait for this storm to end to hit the slopes, and that is because of the wind.

Hurricane force winds will whip onshore and inland with speeds up to 85 mph, prompting High Wind Warnings across the region through Wednesday. This increases the threat of power outages and wind damage in the region. This will create mountainous waves up to thirty-three feet offshore.

Hurricane Force Wind Warnings, and Storm Warnings are in effect through Wednesday for the coastline from northern California to northern Washington.

The winds will lighten during the second half of the week, but rounds of rain will continue through Sunday.