EXTREME WEATHER: Hurricane-Forced Wind Warnings Issued For Oregon, Washington Coast - 90mph Gusts Expected!

© Laura Joki

March 10, 2016 - UNITED STATES - The service issued wind advisories for several areas along Oregon and Washington's coast and inlands, while saying hurricane force winds could occur in coastal waters.

Forecasters expect peak winds of as much as 45 mph to hit the central and northern Oregon coast about 5 p.m. Wednesday and last through 11 p.m. Coastal residents and travelers should expect wind gusts of up to 85 mph along beaches and headlands, the service said.

Warnings for hurricane-force means winds must surpass 64 knots, or about 74 mph, according to the weather service. "We only use the hurricane-force terminology over the coastal waters," but equally strong winds along the coastal beaches carry significant potential damage, said Andy Bryant, a hydrologist with the weather service's Portland office.

Vessels should remain in port or take shelter until winds and waves subside. The winds are expected to be strong enough to damage trees, disrupt power and damage property. Travel could be hazardous. "Based on experience, we've anticipated and prepared for this weather and the outages that could occur," said Curtis Mansfield, vice president of operations for Pacific Power, which serves parts of Oregon, Washington, Utah, Wyoming and Idaho. "Our crews are prepared to respond, and so we encourage our customers to be prepared as well."


WATCH: Wild winds and waves beat Oregon Coast.

Each home should have flashlights, battery-operated radio, extra batteries, non-perishable foods, bottled water and blankets.

Further inland, the Portland and Columbia River Gorge areas should see winds peak from 8 p.m. Wednesday through 4 a.m. Thursday. South winds should reach 30 mph with gusts up to 45 mph.

Elsewhere, a winter weather advisory remains in effect along the Cascades through 4 p.m. Wednesday. Snow should fall at levels above 3,000 feet then rise to 5,000 later Wednesday. Drivers should be prepared for icy or snow covered roads.

This post was corrected to reflect that hurricane force warning has been issued six times for the Oregon coast since 2007. Early information from the National Weather Service provided an incorrect figure.

- The Oregonian.

 

PLANETARY TREMORS: 2.9 Magnitude Earthquake Recorded Near Mount St. Helens, Washington - USGS!

A 2.9-magnitude earthquake was recorded near Mount Saint Helens Monday morning. © MyNorthwest

February 9, 2016 - WASHINGTON STATE, UNITED STATES - A 2.9-magnitude earthquake hit just south of Mount St. Helens Monday morning, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The quake was recorded at 8:50 a.m.

The earthquake, according to the USGS, wasn't very strong. Only three people reported feeling it, as of 10:30 a.m.

It's the strongest earthquake in Washington in February. A 2.6-magnitude quake was reported Feb. 5 near Tacoma. - MyNorthwest.

ICE AGE NOW: Snoqualmie Pass, Washington Buried In Snow - 85 Inches On The Ground!

© Cliff Mass Weather Blog

December 24, 2015 - WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES - Last year, Snoqualmie Pass had very little snow and the ski areas remained shut for most of the winter.

This year Snoqualmie is being BURIED IN SNOW.

Every day at 6 AM, Washington Department of Transportation measures snow depth in the pass. Here are the latest numbers: 26 inches of snow between 6 AM Monday and 6 AM Tuesday, with 85 inches on the ground. An increase of 50 inches in 5 days. To quote Darth Vader: Impressive, Most Impressive.

The Wednesday report shows another 11 inches of new snow, but compaction resulted in only a 1 inch increase in depth.

© WSDOT

The pass has been closed several times during the past few days, with chains often required. So far this year over 12 feet of snow has fallen in Snoqualmie, eclipsing the total snowfall of the entire last year.

But it is not over. Last night, another frontal system moved through, bringing a surge of heavy snow. Here is the forecast of 72-hour snow total for the region (a circle indicates the location of Snoqualmie Pass). Another 2-3 feet!

The freezing level is quite low now and during the next few days, with the associated snow level dipping to around 1000 ft, with mixed snow getting down to 500-1000 ft at times. Don't be surprised to see a few flakes at sea level, particularly over N.W. Washington.

© Cliff Mass Weather Blog

But why so much snow?

The reason is that the atmospheric has been stuck in a configuration that has been ideal for central Cascade snow (and very favorable for heavy rain over Oregon). Here is the upper level (500 hPa) forecast for Tuesday at 7 PM. The lines are height (like pressure) and winds are strongest when the lines are close together (that is where the jet stream is located). The jet stream is oriented NW-SE with the axis crossing Oregon and northern CA. We are on the north (cold) side of the jet stream and there is a trough just offshore.

© Cliff Mass Weather Blog

So we are cool, with disturbances rippling along the northern side of the jet stream. Good for Cascade snow. - Cliff Mass Weather Blog.

GLOBAL VOLCANISM: Seismologists Watching Glacier Peak In Washington - After 4 Earthquakes In Just Under 4 Hours!

Two earthquakes - magnitude 3.1 and 3.5 - struck Wednesday afternoon near Glacier Peak within an hour of each other.
Two more smaller earthquakes struck just hours later. © Earthquake Tracker

November 27, 2015 - SEATTLE, UNITED STATES - Four earthquakes struck within hours of each other Wednesday afternoon near Glacier Peak in Washington.

The first two earthquakes registered at magnitudes 3.1 and 3.5. The first earthquake occurred at 12:11 p.m. The second registered roughly an hour later at 1:20 p.m. Then a third earthquake — a magnitude 1.6 — occurred at 2:33 p.m. And finally a fourth earthquake — a magnitude 1.4 — was registered at 3:44 p.m. All the quakes were recorded roughly 19-21 miles east-southeast of the town of Darrington.

Seth Moran, geophysicist at the University of Washington, tells KIRO Radio they're keeping a close eye on the area and continue to watch the seismic records. "Magnitude 3 earthquakes happen in Washington and Oregon a number of times per year," Moran said. "The one thing that makes these potentially interesting in a different way is they're somewhat close to Glacier Peak."

Glacier Peak (Photo: KING)

The quakes, about three miles from Glacier Peak, occurred where there haven't been a lot of magnitude 3 earthquakes in the past, according to Moran. "The last time there was a magnitude 3 in the vicinity was in 1991," Moran said.

However, there isn't a great network of seismic instruments in the area. There have been no reports of damage or injuries.


WATCH: Mount Rainier is considered the world's most dangerous volcano because of its size and how close it is to population centers, but there's another mountain you've probably never seen that's finally getting attention for the risks it poses.

According to the USGS, the last time Glacier Peak erupted was 1,100 years ago. Mount St. Helens and Glacier Peak are the only volcanoes in Washington state that have been explosive in the past 15,000 years. - My Northwest.

 

GLOBAL VOLCANISM: Could Mount St. Helens Erupt Again - Volcanic Tremors Hint Of Magma Being Injected?!

Earthquakes that occurred before the May 1980 eruption of Mount. St. Helens may have been caused by magma being injected from one chamber to another.
Researchers said more tremors were observed in the area, which could hint of potential eruption.  (Photo : Davgood Kirshot | Pixabay)

November 10, 2015 - PACIFIC NORTHWEST, UNITED STATES - The eruption of Mount St. Helens on May 18, 1980 has claimed 57 lives and caused serious damage to homes and infrastructure.

Now, scientists have revealed that the volcano could possibly erupt again in the future based on findings of a pioneering $3 million study of the volcano's plumbing system.

Geologists who studied the volcano have found a second enormous chamber lying between seven to 23 miles beneath the surface.

This massive pool of molten rock was found connected to a smaller chamber lying directly beneath the volcano.

How these two chambers are connected is helping scientists understand the sequence of events prior to the 1980 eruption, whose strength of explosion destroyed the topmost peaks of the mountain.

Matching the newly discovered magma reservoirs with earthquake data also sheds light on how the deadliest eruption in U.S. history occurred.

The researchers said that the series of tremors that occurred in the months leading to the 1980 eruption may have been caused by magma pumping from the lower to the upper chamber of the volcano, which caused the pressure inside the upper chamber to dramatically increase resulting in the deadly explosion.

"We can only now understand that those earthquakes are connecting those magma reservoirs," said Rice University seismologist Eric Kiser. "They could be an indication that you have migration of fluid between the two bodies."

Reporting the findings of their study at the annual meeting of the Geological Society of America in Baltimore, Maryland on Nov. 3, the researchers said that more tremors have been observed in the area suggesting that more magma is being injected.

"A cluster of low frequency events, typically associated with injection of magma, occurs at the northwestern boundary of this low Vp column," the researchers reported. "Much of the recorded seismicity between the shallow high Vp/Vs body and deep low Vp column took place in the months preceding and hours following the May 18, 1980 eruption. This may indicate a transient migration of magma between these two reservoirs associated with this eruption."

After the 1980 eruption, the volcano started to erupt again in 2004 but it fell silent in July 2008. Nonetheless, Mount St. Helens is still considered a high risk volcano and is closely monitored by the U.S. Geological Survey. The researchers said that their findings could offer a crucial early warning system of a potential eruption. - Tech Times.

GLOBAL VOLCANISM: Geologists - Hidden Cascades Volcano May Pose A Threat!

Glacier Peak (Photo: KING)

May 20, 2015 - SEATTLE, UNITED STATES - Monday marks the 35th anniversary of the eruption of Mount St. Helens that killed 57 people.

Mount Rainier is considered the world's most dangerous volcano because of its size and how close it is to the population centers of Tacoma and Seattle.

But there's another mountain you've probably never seen that's getting attention for the risks it poses to the Seattle area.

Unlike most of the volcanoes in the Cascade Mountains that are viewable from Interstate 5 or even Seattle, few people notice Glacier Peak. It lurks within in the northern Cascades in Snohomish County and has a record of violent, even extreme eruptions.

Jim Vallance a geologist at the Cascades Volcano Observatory, was a young field assistant on Mount St. Helens in the wake of the 1980 eruption. He remembers doing field work on St. Helens in 1979."It was quiet. You may remember if you were an old timer in the Northwest, that Spirit Lake was a blue body of water with cabins all around," said Vallance. "That all changed dramatically in 1980."

"As impressive as it was, Mount St. Helens was actually hundreds of feet shorter than Glacier Peak," Vallance points out. "The summit is right here."

Now his role at the observatory is dedicated to understanding Glacier Peak.

Every year's brief field season is on foot or with the help of pack mules to bring out more samples that lead to more understanding.

"I'm working on a giant four-dimensional puzzle. I'm trying to work out what happened in the past, when did it happen and how often," said Vallance.

When a volcano's glaciers melt during an eruption, it picks up massive amounts of fine dirt and debris. It becomes what's called a lahar.


WATCH: Mount Rainier is considered the world's most dangerous volcano because of its size and how close it is to population centers, but there's another mountain you've probably never seen that's finally getting attention for the risks it poses.

In the case of Glacier Peak, the geological record shows lahars reaching as far away as Mount Vernon, Burlington, Stanwood and Puget Sound by following the Skagit and Stillaguamish rivers.

But while some mountains, including St. Helens and Rainier, are heavily wired with sensors, there is but one lone seismometer on the west flank of Glacier Peak. That's about to change.

Next year, four boxes, each packed with a sensitive seismometer, global positioning antennas and other sensors, will be installed on Glacier Peak. The seismometers can tip off scientists to the first faint signals that magma is on the move.

"Most typical quakes around volcanoes are very small, very low magnitude," said Ben Pauk, a geophysicist who works with sensing technologies.

Then, as seen in the buildup to a 2004 eruption on Mount St. Helens, the quakes are constant.

"It's going to generate what's called volcanic tremor. So the ground is just constantly shaking," said Pauk. "And that gives us a really good indication of what type of eruption is going to occur."

Global positioning antennas measure when the mountain is actually starting to swell.

When could an eruption on Glacier Peak occur? There's no telling, said Vance, remembering that summer of 1979, when Mount St. Helens seemed so quiet.

"It could be this year or a thousand years," he said. - KSDK.

GLOBAL VOLCANISM: Eruption Like Mount St. Helens - "It Will Happen Again In Cascades"!

Plinian column from May 18, 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens. Aerial view from southwest. Mount Adams is in the background (right).
Robert Krimmel photo May 18 1980

May 16, 2015 - U.S. PACIFIC NORTHWEST - Mount St. Helens caught science a little by surprise.

A volcano hadn't erupted on the United State mainland outside Alaska and Hawaii since California's Lassen Peak in early 20th Century.

And modern science had yet to witness an eruption quite like St. Helens.

"I think this was a turning point in the way people approached these kinds of potentially active, explosive volcanoes," said Mike Dungan, a volcanologist with an office at the University of Oregon.

St. Helens didn't just erupt: it blew up.

The force of the May 18, 1980, eruption wasn't just vertical; it was lateral, sending a side of the mountain rocketing down slope as a wall of boiling mud and rock.

The eruption killed 57 people - and put scientists and policy makers on notice.

"It's only a matter of a short time - decades or something - before another one of these things occurs," Dungan said. "A sector collapse eruption like Mount St. Helens - it will happen again in Cascades."

Research at the University of Oregon is shedding new light on the cause of the explosion.

Geologists like PhD student Kristina Walowski are conducting research into how ocean water seeps into offshore plates as they plunge deep into the earth.

"What's really interesting is that water is really important because it lowers the melting temperature of a rock and when that happens you can create magma," she said.

Mount St. Helens viewed aerially from the northeast before the 1980 eruptive activity. Dashed line marks boundary of area removed by the May 18 blast.

"The water is really the key thing that causes the expansion, just like when champagne comes jetting out of a bottle," said Paul Wallace, professor geological science at UO. "It's a foamy material because of the gas present in gas bubbles."

The May edition of Nature Geoscience published the findings by the Oregon team, funded by a National Science Foundation Grant.

"Ultimately the water that makes them so explosive is coming out of the ocean," Wallace said. "And eventually as the plate moves like a conveyor belt, it gets returned back down into the inside of the earth.."


WATCH: Eruption like Mount St. Helens - 'It will happen again in Cascades'.

"It's not like you're pouring cups of water into the interior of the earth, right?" Walowski said. "There's a complicated set of reactions and breakdowns where these rocks are changing shape, and releasing water little by little by little."

So which of the Cascade volcanoes is next in line to erupt?

It's difficult to predict, but geologists are watching.

"We're really in the midst of a technology explosion when it comes to monitoring volcanoes, using all kinds of things using remote sensing instruments on satellites," Wallace said.

"Mount St. Helens is still the most frequent in the Cascades," Walowski said, "and based on that, it may be the most likely to go again." - KVAL.

EXTREME WEATHER ALERT: Blizzard, Rain And Wind Slam The American Northwest As Potent Storm Approaches Western Washington!

December 17, 2012 - UNITED STATES - While some parts of the country wonder where the snow is, Old Man Winter has certainly found his way to the Northwest.  A dangerous storm that slammed into the coast of Washington Monday morning has already begun to batter the region.  Interstate 90's Snoqualmie Pass shut down Sunday afternoon as heavy snow and blizzard conditions set in.  There were several collisions at the summit area as strong winds and blowing snow brought visibilities down to near zero.

Blizzard, Rain And Wind Slam The Northwest.

The pass has since reopened, but heavy snow continues and authorities will only let vehicles with chains or all-wheel drive make the journey.  Blinding snow and white-out conditions extend down the length of the Washington and Oregon Cascades.  They also include the Olympic Mountains in northwestern Washington and the Blue Mountains of northwestern Oregon.  Over a foot of snow, with some places getting over two feet, will fall across all of these areas. Snow drifts will reach 4-6 feet in spots and travel will be extremely dangerous at best.  As Senior Meteorologist Kristina Pydynowski points out, the wild winter weather is not only limited to the mountains.  According to Kristina, "Up to a half of a foot of snow will turn Wenatchee, Wash., into a winter wonderland Sunday night into Monday with 2-4 inches whitening Spokane, Wash."  The snow will then spread to the mountainous areas of California, Idaho and Utah through Monday evening.  The highest elevations across these areas will see 6-12 inches of new snowfall.  The combination of the new snowfall and strong winds will even produce the risk for avalanches. Further south and east, the snow turns to rain in places such as Seattle, Portland and Medford.  With 1-2 inches of rain falling Sunday and Sunday night, another 1-2 inches is likely today.  This kind of rain will lead to excessive ponding of water on roadways and quick rises on area creeks, streams and rivers.  Check back often at AccuWeather.com for the latest up-to-the-minute information on this storm. - AccuWeather.

Weather Warnings Issued As Potent Storm Approaches Western Washington.

A powerful storm packing strong winds, heavy rain and mountain snow is expected to hit Sunday night and Monday in Western Washington, ushering in a period of cooler weather that could include snowfall in the lowlands by Monday night or Tuesday.  The National Weather Service in Seattle issued a barrage of warnings for much of the region, including a rare blizzard warning for the Olympic and Cascade mountains from 6 p.m. Sunday through 6 p.m. Monday.  A high wind warning was issued for the central Washington coast and a high wind watch for the Puget Sound area from midnight Sunday through 10 a.m. Monday.  Gusts could reach as high as 65 mph on the coast and up to 55 mph in the inland areas, and power outages are possible due to falling limbs and trees. Storm-force winds were expected over the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and gale-force winds are forecast over the waters of the Puget Sound.  A coastal flood advisory was issued for high tides and big waves that could produce tidal overflow and flooding near the beaches. The heaviest impact will be on the Washington coast, where 30-foot swells are possible. Tidal overflow and localized flooding also are possible along the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Puget Sound.  In the Olympics and the Cascades, heavy snowfall and high winds are expected to produce blizzard conditions. Up to 3 feet of snow is expected to fall between Sunday evening and Monday evening. Winds could gust up to 60 mph in the passes and from 70 to 90 mph on exposed ridges between Sunday night and Monday evening. Whiteout conditions are expected in the passes.  An avalanche warning also was issued for some areas of the Olympics and Cascades.  National Weather Service meteorologists said the storm will develop rapidly late Sunday as it approaches Western Washington from the North Pacific. - KOMO News.

STORM ALERT: Drenched Northern California to Get Fourth Storm in Five Days!

December 04, 2012 - UNITED STATES - Just as Northern California residents recovered from a series of wet, windy storms, another system on the way is expected to drench the area.  With rain expected to start falling in far Northern California overnight Tuesday, some areas could see up to 5 more inches of rain before the storm moves out, the National Weather Service said. 

The rain could be especially heavy in areas north of Redding and across the Sierra Nevada, meteorologist Dan Keeton said.  Still, it should be nothing like the three previous downpours that dumped between 15 to 20 inches of rain in some areas over the five-day period that ended Sunday. Forecasters said the latest storm left the area faster than expected.  "It's going to be significant, but less impactful," Keeton said of the coming rain. "There will be some isolated impact in certain areas, but nothing as widespread compared to what we saw late last week. This was a down payment on our winter water supply accumulation."  Pacific Gas & Electric crews were still working to restore power to about 5,700 users, down from the height Sunday of 57,000 in areas stretching from Santa Cruz to Eureka and parts of the San Francisco Bay area.  Three powerful storms drenched the region within a week. In the high Sierra, more than 5 feet of snow during the stretch forced the closures of a major road and a secondary roadway through Yosemite National Park, officials said Monday.

Both roads typically close in the late fall when heavy snows arrive and reopen when weather allow in the spring.  Sunday's storm dropped as much as an inch of rain an hour in some areas while toppling trees, bringing flash flooding to roadways and knocking out power.  "I think everybody got nervous last week," Keeton said. "These storms came with plenty of warnings, but it rained so hard at times that many were still left surprised by what Mother Nature can do."  Rivers across Northern California swelled from the deluge but did not flood as much as expected. Flood warnings had been issued for the Napa and Russian rivers north of San Francisco, and for the Truckee River near Lake Tahoe.  In Napa, officials had handed out more than 8,000 sandbags and about 150 tons of sand, but the city appeared to avoid any major damage.  In Nevada, rescue crews searched for a homeless man in Reno who reportedly fell into the Truckee River from a limb Sunday night.  A sudden shift in the weekend weather turned rain into snow, keeping rivers and streams largely within their banks in Reno and Sparks, Nev., and Truckee, Calif.  In southern Oregon, the Coquille and Rogue rivers were both about 2 feet above flood stage as a result of storms.  The weather service said more rivers along the coast and inland in the Willamette Valley could be flooded amid heavy rains.  A Southern Oregon man was being held on $40,000 bail after being charged with disorderly conduct and recklessly endangering rescuers after a disagreement on whether to save his three boats that went downstream, authorities said. - Huffington Post.

STORM ALERT: New Storm Forecast to Slam Areas From Northern California to British Columbia!

December 03, 2012 - UNITED STATES - The latest in a long line of storms will slam areas from northern California to British Columbia Monday night into Tuesday with rain, snow and wind.  The heaviest rain will fall over northern coastal California to southern coastal Oregon once again, where local rainfall from this storm alone will reach between 4 and 8 inches.  The combination of this rain and prior rainfall over the past week will lead to new rounds of flash and urban flooding, mudslides, erosion and stream flooding.

According to Meteorologist Andy Mussoline, "Farther north, the rain will be more of a nuisance in the major cities of Seattle and Portland." The heaviest rain will also avoid San Francisco and Sacramento with this storm. Rainfall has been more gradual (on the order of 3 to 4 inches) in Seattle and Portland, when compared to areas in northern California (over a foot of rain) since the last weekend of November.  According to Western Weather Expert Ken Clark, "Snow levels will be very high over the northern Sierra Nevada and Cascades, generally above the passes with this storm." Farther north, the Coast Mountains in southern British Columbia will be buried with up to 60 centimeters (2 feet) of fresh snow. 

According to Canada Weather Expert Brett Anderson, "At Whistler/Blackcomb Ski Resort, B.C., nearly 5 feet of snow has already fallen since Monday, Nov. 25, 2012."  Rounds of rain and snow will continue in the Northwest into Wednesday. Snow levels will fall during the day Wednesday with accumulating snow likely at pass levels during the middle of the week.  Winds will be a concern throughout the coastal Northwest until the storm's cold front swings through later Tuesday. Most gusts originating from the south will range between 40 to 60 mph along much of the coast from northern California to southern British Columbia, including the Cascades and northern Sierra Nevada. However, peak gusts can reach as high as 80 mph on the immediate coast, ridges and gaps in the mountains.  Meteorologist Anthony Sagliani sums of the storms thus far along in "Intense Winds, Feet of Rain, Snow Slam West." - Accuweather.

EXTREME WEATHER: Fierce Storm, Strong Winds and Heavy Rains Pummel American Pacific Northwest - 1 Dead, Trees Uprooted, Vehicles Toppled, Nearly 50,000 Without Power!

November 20, 2012 - UNITED STATES - Residents in Washington and Oregon braced for more wet weather after a fierce storm swamped streets, toppled trees and large trucks, cut power to nearly 50,000 residents, and caused at least one death.  Though the main threat is over, the rain will continue but shouldn't disrupt Thanksgiving holiday travel plans, since all major roads and passes in the Northwest are open. 

Traffic plows through high water as it merges onto Interstate 5 in Portland, Ore., Monday, Nov. 19, 2012.
A powerful storm is pounding the Oregon coast, shutting down marine traffic in and out of several coastal
rivers and closing part of highway U.S. 101. (AP Photo/Don Ryan).

Flood warnings were issued for a handful of western Washington rivers, with moderate flooding expected Tuesday along the Chehalis River in the Centralia area. Residents there were told where to find sandbags and were directed to move any endangered livestock to higher ground.  Nearly 2 inches of rain fell in six hours Monday in one Seattle neighborhood — a total that Seattle Public Utilities meteorologist James Rufo-Hill called "extraordinary."  "It was a pretty big storm for most of the city — lots of rain in a relatively short amount of time," he said, but several neighborhoods "really got drenched." 

The rain caused widespread reports of flooded roads and highways, some mudslides and residential flooding, and even sewage overflows in parts of Seattle and Everett. Several blocks of downtown streets were briefly flooded in Port Orchard, west of Seattle.  Puget Sound Energy reported 24,000 electricity outages at mid-afternoon in its western Washington service area, with most service restored by Monday evening.  In Oregon, the storm knocked out electricity to as many as 24,000 Pacific Power customers. Several thousand remained in the dark Monday night, mainly in Clatsop, Lincoln and Coos counties.  BNSF Railways imposed a 48-hour moratorium on passenger and commuter trains travel between Everett and Seattle, starting around noon Monday, after at least 10 mudslides affected the tracks, spokesman Gus Melonas said.  Wet weather was expected to continue through the week, but National Weather Service meteorologist Jay Neher in Seattle said Monday night that the "heavy rain is over."  "We're into showers now," Neher said. - Statesman Journal.

STORM ALERT: Train of Storms Barreling Through American Pacific Northwest - Will Bring Heavy Rain, Mountain Snow and Damaging Coastal Winds!

November 19, 2012 - UNITED STATES - Residents and visitors of the Pacific Northwest hoping to have some dry weather for the days leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday will be out of luck. In fact, the Northwest will be the stormiest part of the nation through Thanksgiving.

A Pacific storm train of weather disturbances will continue to barrel through the Northwest in quick succession bringing bouts of rain, snow and wind. At this time it appears that no prolonged period of dry weather is on the horizon. The series of storm systems will likely continue well past Thanksgiving and into the following weekend. These storms will bring rain, mountain snow and damaging coastal winds.

According to AccuWeather's Western Weather Expert Ken Clark, "Between the major storms, the weather is not likely to be dry, especially from the Cascades on west. Moist, onshore winds will cause showers between these major storms at just about any time". With many leaves throughout the region still on trees and the ground, localized flooding may occur if these leaves clog drains. Two to four inches of rain will soak both Seattle and Portland through Tuesday. "The heaviest snow will be above pass level, but there will be periods of snow with slick travel through the passes in the periods of colder air over the next week. Above 4,500 feet, several feet of snow is likely to fall over [this] week", Clark added. It should be noted that an active wet pattern like this one is not uncommon for the middle to end of November across the Pacific Northwest.  - Accuweather.

WATCH: Big Storm Pounds Pacific Northwest.