December 5, 2023

Atmospheric river threatening West Coast with floods, heavy rain

WATCH: National headlines from ABC News

An atmospheric river will continue to impact the West Coast over the next 24 hours.

A record amount of moisture is hitting the Pacific Northwest as the powerful system continues to bring heavy rainfall to the region.

Atmospheric River latest alerts.
MORE: What are atmospheric rivers? How climate change impacts the storms they produce

Up to 8 inches of rain has already fallen in parts of Washington, with several cities reporting daily record rainfall on Monday, according to the National Weather Service. The excess runoff is now forcing many lowland rivers beyond their banks.

Atmospheric rivers are essentially rivers in the sky that collect moisture from tropical areas and redistribute the water to other latitudes.

Atmospheric River as of Wednesday at 4 pm Pacific Time.
Atmospheric River as of Saturday at 2 pm Pacific Time.

The weather phenomenon occurs frequently around the globe, but they cause 80% of flood damage at an average estimated cost of $1.1 billion annually on the West Coast of the United States, according to researchers at Phys.org.

The current plume of moisture in the Pacific Northwest will continue into Washington on Tuesday morning and then will move into Oregon in the afternoon and evening, bringing an additional 5 to 8 inches of rain, forecasts show.

MORE: 'Extreme' drought status nearly eliminated in California in wake of atmospheric rivers

The National Weather Service has issued flood alerts for Washington, Oregon, and Idaho for river and stream flooding, as well as Northern California for heavy rainfall and snowmelt. Ponding of water on roadways, isolated minor flooding in low-lying areas, and isolated rock falls and mudslides will be possible.

Portions of Montana are under an avalanche warning until 7 p.m. local time for new snow, blowing snow and rain on snow, creating dangerous avalanche conditions.

Chris Pietsch/The Register Guard via USA Today Network
Drivers navigate a lane filled with rain water in Eugene, Ore., as an atmospheric river moves through the Willamette Valley during the winter of 2023.

By Wednesday morning and afternoon, some of the rain is expected to move into Northern California and the San Francisco Bay area. Major flooding is not expected in California.

MORE: How an atmospheric river is impacting the West Coast

More storms are expected to hit the West Coast on Thursday and then again on Saturday, with more rain at the coast and lower elevations.

With the storms later in the week, the air mass will be colder, so the snow will fall in lower elevations, possibly covering I-90 and I-80 in snow, which could make commutes dangerous.