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Yahoo
3 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Thunderstorms to spread northward in the West this week
The Southwest is typically dry this time of year. The monsoon, or the shift in winds that brings moisture into the area, does not usually begin until July. However, AccuWeather meteorologists say a former tropical storm along with a separate feature in the atmosphere will conspire to bring early-season rainfall. "A low pressure area tapping into moisture from the Gulf of California and, additionally, moisture from the eastern Pacific being brought north by former Tropical Storm Alvin will cause thunderstorms in the Desert Southwest through Tuesday," explained AccuWeather Meteorologist Jacob Hinson. Overall, the rain will be beneficial. Much of the region has been entrenched in an extreme to exceptional drought. "The drought means the ground is dry and, counterintuitively, less able to absorb water, "said Hinson. This occurs because rain is more likely to cause runoff on the hardened ground. Over time, water will eventually be able to penetrate into the ground and soil as the surface becomes more moist. Of course, thunderstorms will also produce lightning. For anyone with outdoor plans, lightning strikes will be a prominent danger. Even outside of thunderstorms, there will be an overall uptick in humidity. Therefore, anyone who must work outside will want to stay hydrated. That said, the clouds and rain will keep temperatures lower than what they otherwise would be with sunshine. In some locations, thunderstorms may contain little or no rainfall. Gusty winds caused by the thunderstorms could then present another hazard: blowing dust. That can be very hazardous as visibility can be suddenly and severely reduced. Motorists traveling at highway speed may need to slow down very quickly, which can be dangerous to other motorists. Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, southwestern Colorado and the eastern part of Southern California would be the most likely areas to experience blowing dust. Where too much rain falls, flooding can be a concern. "Flash flooding can occur in arroyos (dry stream beds), small streams and canyons, as these areas may rapidly fill with water, even with thunderstorms that are miles upstream," warned AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex the app? Unlock AccuWeather Alerts™ with Premium+ "The atmosphere will be holding onto about 1.50 to 1.75 inches of water, which is about how much rain could potentially fall from any particularly strong thunderstorm," cautioned Hinson. The Four Corners and Southeastern California will be the focus of the showers and thunderstorms through Tuesday. While the intensity of the showers and thunderstorms may subside a bit after Tuesday, the coverage area is likely to expand. "As moisture expands over the next few days, thunderstorms can extend as far north as Idaho and southern Montana. These thunderstorms will not be as strong but can certainly prompt flash flooding, especially across area that have had very little in the way of rain this year," said Hinson. Showers and thunderstorms should finally come to an end in Arizona and New Mexico by Friday, as moisture becomes focused farther to the north. Thunderstorms will become less numerous elsewhere, but could continue right into the weekend. Want next-level safety, ad-free? Unlock advanced, hyperlocal severe weather alerts when you subscribe to Premium+ on the AccuWeather app. AccuWeather Alerts™ are prompted by our expert meteorologists who monitor and analyze dangerous weather risks 24/7 to keep you and your family safer.
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Waves of storms to enter the West into midweek
The weather pattern in the western U.S. over the upcoming week will feature two primary storms barreling into the region, one that will move onto Northern California coast before tracking northward and one that will take aim more directly at the Pacific Northwest. Forecasters break down the pattern have noted that while it is two separate features spreading precipitation across the region, a lot of locations will not observe an appreciable break between the two from later Sunday to Tuesday. Late-weekend storm "This is an interesting setup as the upper-level pattern has allowed for these surface low pressure systems to orbit each other. The first system will bring rain ashore then slide northward up the coast and become absorbed by the next storm. The second zone of low pressure will then come ashore after remaining around in the Pacific for a day longer than usual," noted AccuWeather Meteorologist Jacob Hinson. Places like San Francisco, Medford, Oregon, to Portland, Oregon, will be among some cities to see rounds of rain and showers, starting with the initial storm on Sunday. For those same areas, temperatures are expected to rise slightly on Sunday as the storm approaches, but the stormy pattern will usher in slightly cooler conditions as the workweek commences. "The first storm will brush the shore, bringing coastal rain and showers from Central California during the late-night hours on Saturday through the morning of Sunday, moving up north through Seattle by Sunday evening," detailed Hinson. Hinson added that while there will be some snow accumulation across the highest mountain peaks, there is not expected to be a notable snowfall with this first storm along the Sierra and up into the Cascades compared to what the secondary storm will the app? Unlock AccuWeather Alerts™ with Premium+ Snow levels on Sunday will decline to roughly 5,000-6,000 feet across the Klamath Mountains and portions of the Sierra Nevada. Temperatures are expected to gradually decline from widespread 60s Fahrenheit along the California and Oregon coast to the lower to middle 50s into the midweek period. Most spots will observe temperatures between 5-10 degrees F below the historical average for early April as a southward dip in the jet stream becomes more pronounced. Early week storm "The second storm will impact locations in the Pacific Northwest more directly, pushing ashore in Northern California on Tuesday morning. This will bring heavier rains and perhaps some thunder to the Northern California and southern Oregon coast, moving inland and giving Central California another round of showers," noted Hinson. While winds over the open waters off of Oregon can become rather gusty as the secondary storm rotates offshore on Monday, most locations over land will observe occasional gusts peaking between 20 and 40 mph as rain advances inland. Forecasters note that snow levels are projected to drop into early next week to 3,000-4,000 feet as temperatures decline and the storm pushes into the Pacific Northwest states. "Across the mountainous terrain, snow is going to be more prevalent in this early week event, though nothing comparable to previous events this year," added Hinson. Travel delays or even roadway closures can occur along mountain roads and passes. Travelers are always encouraged to check the status of road and weather conditions prior to starting their journey. Later in the week, a drier setup is expected to encompass the West Coast with gradual rising of temperatures. Lingering precipitation from storms will slowly advance across the Rockies and emerge into the Plains in time for the upcoming weekend. Want next-level safety, ad-free? Unlock advanced, hyperlocal severe weather alerts when you subscribe to Premium+ on the AccuWeather app. AccuWeather Alerts™ are prompted by our expert meteorologists who monitor and analyze dangerous weather risks 24/7 to keep you and your family safer.
Yahoo
23-02-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Northwest braces for a fresh round of flooding rain, damaging winds from atmospheric river
A tumultuous weather pattern will continue to focus across the Northwest U.S. into early week, AccuWeather experts warn. As one atmospheric river funneling moisture into Washington, Oregon to Idaho and western Montana advances inland through the end of the weekend, another storm pushing into the region at the start of the workweek will channel another round of flooding rain, wind and high-elevation snowfall. Communities along the Washington and Oregon coastline have already observed upwards of 2-3 inches of rain since Saturday as the first storm advanced into the region, with some locations cresting the 4-inch mark by Sunday morning. Forecasters highlight that additional rain is on the way as a secondary storm intensifies and pushes onto the coast. Some locations along the Northwest coast are on track to observe more rain in a two-day period than they have observed so far this month. "The Pacific Northwest is not getting a chance to breathe amid this active atmospheric river pattern. The advancing storm has strengthened rapidly offshore and will be spreading yet more rain to the already soaked region," explained AccuWeather Meteorologist Jacob the app? Unlock AccuWeather Alerts™ with Premium+ "By the time the early week storm is done, total rainfall will rise to 3-8 inches from both storms in lower areas and greater than 16 inches in mountainous terrain. As a result, concerns for river flooding remains high, especially with the previous week's snow melting and contributing to runoff," added Hinson. In addition to downpours impacting the coastal and foothill regions, forecasters also are highlighting a considerable danger for avalanches across the Washington Cascades over the upcoming days. The rounds of heavy rain soaking sloped areas weakly packed with snowfall could rapidly create a risk for avalanches from the upper elevations to the valley floors, and hikers are discouraged from venturing out given the stormy circumstances. While the peak risk is primarily on Sunday, a high risk can linger into early week in some locations. Additional snowfall is expected as the next storm advances into the region on Monday, particularly across the Cascade Range. "In the foothills of the Cascades, fresh rainfall totals can surpass 2 inches by Monday evening before the changeover to snow occurs between 3,000-4,000 feet. Snow levels will fall throughout the day on Monday before rising again on Tuesday, with Monday night providing the best chance for snow in the lower passes, like Snoqualmie Pass," noted AccuWeather Meteorologist Emma Belscher. As the storm intensifies and pummels into the Northwest Coast on Monday, AccuWeather meteorologists warn that an atmospheric phenomenon called a 'sting jet' can occur. A meteorological term that has been growing in popularity in the United Kingdom since the early 2000s, a "sting jet" is a small area of intense winds that can develop underneath low pressure systems, causing extensive wind damage. The formation looks like a bee's stinger or scorpion's tail on weather satellites, while "jet" is short for jet stream, a corridor of high winds high in the atmosphere. "As this low pressure system rapidly strengthens, it will bring very strong wind gusts that parallel the coasts. We're expecting gusts of 60-80 mph along the coast, locations just inland and along the mountaintops. More sheltered cities like Seattle can observe gusts around 40-60 mph," noted Hinson. The AccuWeather Local StormMax™ for peak wind gusts is 100 mph. Hinson added that the highest gusts will likely be along the border between Washington and Oregon, where a possible sting jet could increase winds even further. Wind damage is likely during this event, with power outages and downed trees being the most common through Tuesday morning. By Tuesday afternoon and evening, the storminess is expected to wane across the Northwest. Gusty winds will taper off and rain will cease across the region, leaving most locations dry through the remainder of the workweek. Farther south, from Southern California into New Mexico, residents will be observing a much different weather pattern this week. Temperatures will be on the rise across the Four Corners and Desert Southwest, with some locations expected to crest the 90-degree mark for the first time this year. Cities like Phoenix will be among some sites at risk for reaching 90 F, especially by midweek. So far this month, the closest they've come is 86 F in the first week. A few locations will even be in jeopardy of tying or surpassing their daily temperature records, particularly by Wednesday. Want next-level safety, ad-free? Unlock advanced, hyperlocal severe weather alerts when you subscribe to Premium+ on the AccuWeather app. AccuWeather Alerts™ are prompted by our expert meteorologists who monitor and analyze dangerous weather risks 24/7 to keep you and your family safer.
USA Today
13-02-2025
- Climate
- USA Today
After winter blast, heavy rains and melting snow could lead to major problems
After winter blast, heavy rains and melting snow could lead to major problems Show Caption Hide Caption Winter storms strike more than a dozen states Two powerful snow systems were moving across the US, threatening to drop up to 12 inches of snow in some spots. A winter storm lashing parts of the Midwest with heavy snow and the East with a wintry mix Thursday threatened to hammer a stretch of the Southeast with thunderstorms and brought new concerns over flooding and ice jams. As the storm moved across the nation's northern tier, some thunderstorms in parts of the Florida Panhandle, southeastern Alabama and Georgia could fuel torrential downpours and gusty winds, AccuWeather said. Parts of Virginia and West Virginia hit with up to a foot of snow this week were facing a fast melt along with rain and mixed precipitation. "The risk of flooding may also extend into portions of the Ohio Valley, central Appalachians and the Mid-Atlantic, where rain combines with melting snow and ice jams on area streams and rivers," AccuWeather Meteorologist Brandon Buckingham said. Another atmospheric river was bringing heavy rain to most parts of California this week, raising concerns over flooding on the heels of an earlier system that broke daily rainfall records, triggered evacuations and led to multiple deaths. The latest bout of rain set in along the central coast of California and the San Francisco Bay area Tuesday and will continue to ramp up Thursday, according to AccuWeather. The added rain comes as several rivers in Northern California were still near their flood stage after last week's deluge. In Southern California, large swaths of burned land from recent wildfires remain vulnerable to the rain and could quickly become sites of mudslides, forecasters warned. "This atmospheric river will bring with it multiple inches of rain from the North Bay Area all the way down the coast to San Diego," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Jacob Hinson in an online forecast, adding that most areas will see 1 to 2 inches of rain by Friday. − Christopher Cann After a tumultuous weather week, a third storm could be looming as well, forecasters said. A strong Pacific storm could move across the Mountain West, said, and become a major winter system in the Plains, Midwest and Northeast this weekend. The South could face more drenching rains and severe thunderstorms. Forecasters said the snow that fell in the Mid-Atlantic Tuesday was dry and fluffy to the north of Washington, D.C., but heavier and wetter to the south. Why is this? Air temperature is the primary factor in determining the kind of snow that falls. While powdery snow is loved by skiers, wet snow is hard to shovel (but great for making snowmen). Wet snow occurs when the air temperature near the surface is above freezing, causing the snowflakes to partially melt before reaching the surface, CompuWeather said in an online report. "This causes the snowflakes to become sticky and easily adhere to and accumulate on nearly all outdoor surfaces," CompuWeather meteorologist Eric DeRoche said. Read more here. − Doyle Rice Contributing: Susan Miller
Yahoo
10-02-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Another atmospheric river brings flood, mudslide concerns to California
Another atmospheric river is expected to bring heavy rain to most parts of California this week, raising concerns over flooding on the heels of an earlier system that broke daily rainfall records, triggered evacuations and led to multiple deaths. The latest bout of rain will set in along the central coast of California and San Francisco Bay area by Tuesday and will continue to ramp up into Wednesday night and Thursday, according to AccuWeather. "This atmospheric river will bring with it multiple inches of rain from the North Bay Area all the way down the coast to San Diego," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Jacob Hinson in an online forecast, adding that most areas will see 1 to 2 inches of rain by Friday. The added rain comes as several rivers in Northern California were still near their flood stage after last week's deluge. In Southern California, large swaths of burned land from recent wildfires remain vulnerable to the rain and could quickly become sites of mudslides, forecasters warned. Last week, San Francisco broke a daily record for rain that had been in place since 1887, with a pounding 2.53 inches of rain falling in one day, according to the National Weather Service. North of San Francisco, in Sonoma County, officials ordered evacuations as flooding destroyed homes and caused two storm-related deaths. Though the weather forecast calls for sun in Stockton on Monday, rain will move in Tuesday night, bringing showers and wind through Sunday, according to the National Weather Service. This week's deluge could produce floods and mudslides, forecasters said, especially in parts of Southern California that were scorched by devastating wildfires over the last month. "While this rain will be beneficial to areas like the Central Valley and L.A. Basin, it could be too much of a good thing in certain areas. We're still concerned about burn scars getting enough rainfall to affect soil stability, thus causing landslides or debris flows. The amount of rain in the forecast can also cause issues where drainage systems aren't adequate, causing localized flooding of streets and roadways," Hinson said. Outside of Los Angeles, crews were still working to clear a mudslide that cut off access to Topanga Canyon. The mudslide occurred late last month and forced officials to close sections of the Pacific Coast Highway and Topanga Canyon Road. Much of California is experiencing dry conditions, with some parts of Southern California suffering moderate, severe and extreme drought conditions, according to the latest data from the U.S. Drought Monitor. This week's storm won't only bring rain to the Golden State. Snowfall of 6 to 12 inches could blanket across the Sierra Nevada mountain range, with some areas receiving up to 2 feet. AccuWeather forecasters said that on Thursday "blizzard conditions across the Sierra are not out of the question." High winds up to 40 mph are an added concern as meteorologists warn that travelers on Donner Pass could see significant delays, especially near the end of the week. Atmospheric rivers – sometimes referred to as "rivers in the sky" – are long, narrow tracts of the Earth's atmosphere that gather moisture from the tropics near the equator and sweep it toward the poles. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, atmospheric rivers can vary greatly in size and strength, however the average atmospheric river carries an amount of water vapor "roughly equivalent to the average flow of water at the mouth of the Mississippi River." Strong atmospheric rivers can transport up to 15 times that amount. Contributing: Elizabeth Weise, Trevor Hughes, Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA TODAY This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Atmospheric river brings rain, flood concerns to California, Stockton
