Storms to deliver rain, mountain snow across western US through Christmas

Residents across the western United States who have drought relief on their holiday wish lists this season will be in luck this week. A series of storms will take aim at the West Coast and deliver needed rain and mountain snow from Southern California to the Pacific Northwest through Christmas Day. In addition to the precipitation, winds will also be a concern.

"Gusty winds will be especially strong along the coast and in the mountains," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Jessica Storm.

On Sunday, the heaviest precipitation is expected to drift farther to the south as the storm shifts its energy southward. This will allow heavy rain to fall across western Oregon, according to Storm.

The expansion of precipitation will be due to a cold front moving into Oregon on Sunday. The rain could make it as far south as California.

Precipitation is expected to return northward into Washington and northern Oregon by Monday. The storm still spinning offshore will send another cold front toward the coast on Tuesday. This time, however, Northern California will be the target for the heaviest rain and snow.

Enough rain may slam into the San Francisco Bay Area and the Sacramento Valley of California from Tuesday to Wednesday to lead to urban flooding and trigger travel delays and hazards for last-minute Christmas shoppers.

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Southern California has turned drier following this past Tuesday's deluge, but that dry spell may or may not come to an end for parts of the region this week.

While there is a chance that some showers will push across Southern California, including Santa Barbara, Los Angeles and even San Diego during the middle or latter part of the week, most of the moisture with this new storm may avoid the region this time around.

In the northern and central Sierra Nevada, several more feet of snow is likely to fall, giving a much-needed boost to the snowpack. This will also continue to be a boon for ski resorts after a slow start to the season.

This will be vitally important in adding water to the reservoirs when the snow melts in the spring, especially given the persistent drought. More than a quarter of California is still in an exceptional drought, which is the most intense drought classification, according to the United States Drought Monitor.

Despite the precipitation, those planning to travel for Christmas in Northern California may want to try to do so early in the week, as the heaviest rain and mountain snow are slated for Wednesday and Thursday. Meanwhile, less precipitation is expected in Oregon during that timeframe, and much of Washington may actually turn out dry.

More rounds of rain and heavy mountain snow are expected on Christmas Eve in California, and this time rain is likely to make it as far south as San Diego. During the same time period, much colder air will be moving into the West, which will make it possible for snowflakes to fly in Seattle and Portland, Oregon. In places where a white Christmas is a rarity, the potential is certainly on the table this year as precipitation continues right through Christmas Day and beyond.

"This stormy weather will likely continue with more rain and mountain snow through next weekend," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Michael LeSeney.

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