Record-breaking flood warning issued as torrential rains batter Pacific Northwest.
A powerful atmospheric river is drenching the Pacific Northwest with torrential rains, sending water levels at the Yakima River in Washington state soaring to a record 57.01 feet on Tuesday morning, surpassing the previous all-time high of 55.28 feet set in 1990. The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a slew of flood-related warnings for the region, with 14 river locations expected to reach major flood stage before the storm subsides.
The NWS Director, Edward Clark, warned that any significant amount of water released into the system poses challenges and that seeing 14 points go to major flood stage is "not an insignificant day" in the Pacific Northwest. The agency's National Water Center predicts that more rain will continue to fall on the region, with storm totals exceeding a foot in some areas.
Atmospheric rivers are narrow regions in the atmosphere that transport most of the water vapor outside the tropics, bringing heavy snow, heavy rain, and strong winds. These storms commonly affect the West Coast during the winter months but can also trigger deadly flooding, mudslides, and widespread power outages.
The Yakima River has since fallen to 53.25 feet, but meteorologists anticipate it to crest at 58.02 feet by Tuesday afternoon. The river is expected to take a few days to return to normal levels unless more rain inundates the area. NWS offices in Washington and Oregon have issued numerous flood warnings related to the storm.
The National Weather Service has warned that a prolonged atmospheric river will continue to impact the Pacific Northwest with heavy rainfall, leading to urban and river flooding as well as gusty winds until Thursday. The agency noted that dams, levees, and other infrastructure appear to be holding so far, but strong winds pose additional dangers, threatening power outages and making travel difficult.
Heavy rain and strong winds will continue to batter the region, posing significant challenges for residents and authorities alike. As the situation unfolds, officials are closely monitoring the situation and issuing timely warnings to help mitigate the impact of the severe weather event.
A powerful atmospheric river is drenching the Pacific Northwest with torrential rains, sending water levels at the Yakima River in Washington state soaring to a record 57.01 feet on Tuesday morning, surpassing the previous all-time high of 55.28 feet set in 1990. The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a slew of flood-related warnings for the region, with 14 river locations expected to reach major flood stage before the storm subsides.
The NWS Director, Edward Clark, warned that any significant amount of water released into the system poses challenges and that seeing 14 points go to major flood stage is "not an insignificant day" in the Pacific Northwest. The agency's National Water Center predicts that more rain will continue to fall on the region, with storm totals exceeding a foot in some areas.
Atmospheric rivers are narrow regions in the atmosphere that transport most of the water vapor outside the tropics, bringing heavy snow, heavy rain, and strong winds. These storms commonly affect the West Coast during the winter months but can also trigger deadly flooding, mudslides, and widespread power outages.
The Yakima River has since fallen to 53.25 feet, but meteorologists anticipate it to crest at 58.02 feet by Tuesday afternoon. The river is expected to take a few days to return to normal levels unless more rain inundates the area. NWS offices in Washington and Oregon have issued numerous flood warnings related to the storm.
The National Weather Service has warned that a prolonged atmospheric river will continue to impact the Pacific Northwest with heavy rainfall, leading to urban and river flooding as well as gusty winds until Thursday. The agency noted that dams, levees, and other infrastructure appear to be holding so far, but strong winds pose additional dangers, threatening power outages and making travel difficult.
Heavy rain and strong winds will continue to batter the region, posing significant challenges for residents and authorities alike. As the situation unfolds, officials are closely monitoring the situation and issuing timely warnings to help mitigate the impact of the severe weather event.
. Like, can't we just have some clean data tables for once?! The format of all these articles is so jumbled up - one minute it's a graph showing rising river levels, the next it's a paragraph with stats and then another section with warnings 
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I mean, come on, use a consistent date format already. It's like they're trying to drive me crazy 
. Can we please just have some standard formatting for these articles? My eyes are getting tired just trying to follow along 
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That's gotta be good for the environment and all the wildlife living in those rivers! And yeah, 14 river locations might reach major flood stage, but that just means we'll have some epic water sports on our hands when this storm passes. Plus, scientists are always learning more about these atmospheric rivers, so it's like a giant experiment to figure out how to deal with them better next time around. Silver linings all the way! 
what's going on with these atmospheric rivers? cant they just move to somewhere else for a bit? 
the flooding is getting so bad, im worried about all those people who have to evacuate their homes 
and the power outages are gonna be a nightmare 
why can't we get some actual infrastructure that can handle this kind of thing? 
it's like they're playing a game of cat and mouse with mother nature 
!! im so worried about those people in washington state they're getting hit with this massive flood warning and i can only imagine how scary it must be for them right now 
my heart goes out to all those who are going through this 
...the nws is doing a great job keeping everyone informed, fingers crossed that the situation improves soon 
So I'm thinking, this is just another example of how climate change is affecting our weather patterns. It's crazy to think that in 1990, a record high water level on the Yakima River was only 55.28 feet and now it's at 57.01 feet. That's like a big jump! 
What really gets me is that atmospheric rivers are becoming more intense and frequent due to global warming. It's not just about the Pacific Northwest, either - this kind of severe weather can hit anywhere along the West Coast.
Ugh, I'm so over these flood warnings! Can't they just get a decent layout going? The whole thing is like a jumbled mess of info 
And what even is an atmospheric river?! It sounds like some sci-fi movie plot 
Can't they just give me the short version?!
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I'm keeping an eye on this situation, hope everyone stays safe out there. Dams and levees are holding up for now, but those gusty winds are still a concern 
. Just got to feel for the people in that area, gotta be worried about their homes and livelihoods... 
this is so crazy lol, like imagine sitting in math class when the river outside is literally overflowing 
anyway i think its kinda cool that nws director edward clark said "not an insignificant day" tho like, at least they're acknowledging the gravity of it 
I'm getting worried about all these floods in the Pacific Northwest 
. It's just not fair that people have to deal with this kind of destruction year after year. You know, I've seen some terrible storms in my time, but it seems like climate change is making them worse and more frequent 
. It's heartbreaking for the farmers who have lost their crops and the people who have lost their homes 
. We need to do more to mitigate the effects of these storms and take care of our environment 
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Not cool at all. And the winds? Ugh, that's just on top of everything else 
I'm keeping an eye on this situation from afar, hoping that everything gets back to normal soon... fingers crossed 
. The National Weather Service is doing their thing, warning everyone to stay safe, but those strong winds are making me nervous 
. I hope the rain lets up soon, or people are gonna be stuck in their homes for days 
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Ugh, I'm so sick of these flood warnings! Like, can't we just have a decent day for once? 
The National Water Center is predicting more rain and I'm just over here trying to find a dry spot in my apartment 
. Can't they just give us some decent weather for once? 
, but it's hard not to feel like we're stuck in some kind of rain-induced Groundhog Day 
. At least the Yakima River got its record high 
, but who cares about that when people are actually affected? 
i live in cali but my cousin has family in washington state and he's been tracking the news like a hawk his river levels went up like 10 feet overnight can you believe that? it's wild how these atmospheric rivers can bring so much rain and cause major flooding it's not just about the water level though, it's also about the strong winds and power outages too i feel bad for everyone in the affected areas gotta stay safe and dry 
plus we should be thankful for all the water that's coming to our parched rivers & lakes, some areas have been super dry this year so i guess it's a double-edged sword? and hey at least the ppl in charge are on it & keeping everyone safe 
... hope they prep the dams and levees for the worst 
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