Pacific Storm Train to Remain Active Through March for the West

The storm train coming into the western U.S. is not showing any signs of abating in the near future. More storms are on the horizon for the West Coast through Monday, sending rain and snow into the zone from Washington state and into Northern California.

More Rain and Snow Looming for the Western U.S.

The highly active weather pattern will persist for the western edge of the country in the days ahead as more storms move in from the Pacific Ocean. Forecasters are warning that the volatile storm track will persist into the end of the month. The end result will be more rain and snow for Washington, Oregon, and California. The next thrust of moisture will linger into the beginning of next week.

The bulk of the precipitation will train over Washington, Oregon, and Northern California. The line of moisture will creep as far south as San Francisco on Sunday but will spread even farther by Monday as a cold front helps to push it along.

Heading into Monday, you can expect a general 1 to 2 inches of rain in a zone from western Washington and down into Northern California. Higher rainfall totals of 2 to 4 inches are likely for parts of western Washington, the northwestern corner of California, and the mountain slopes of the Olympics Mountains of Washington and over into the Cascades Range. Over the course of the four-day rain event, you can expect rainfall of nearly 6 inches in the hardest hit communities.

There are a number of potential impacts associated with this weather maker. Flash flooding is a possibility in areas hit by the most persistent rain bands. The steep terrain of the region will be under the threat of landslides and mudslides.

Colder temperatures in the higher elevations are likely across some parts of the Washington Cascades, dipping low enough to impact motorists using the passes in the area. The southern Oregon Cascades is forecast to see 3 to 6 inches of snow while up to a foot of snow is possible for the Siskiyous in Northern California. The higher elevations of this region could see snowfall measured in feet by the time that the storm wraps up.

Motorists hoping to use the heavily travelled Donner Pass along Interstate 80 in California will want to closely monitor this situation. Periods of heavy snow are in the forecast on Sunday and Monday, resulting in the potential for dicey road conditions.