Storm train continues to deliver rain, mountain snow to Northwest

After frequent storms closed out 2021, even more rounds of rain and snow are forecast to hit the Northwest during the first full week of 2022.

The first storm of the week overspread the Northwest on Monday and Monday night. Heavy rain stretched along the Interstate 5 corridor from Seattle to Eugene, Oregon. Heavy snow targeted the Cascades of Washington and northern Oregon, prompting the National Weather Service to issue winter storm warnings.

On Monday morning, portions of I-90 through the mountainous terrain of Washington were closed due to the snow, including Snoqualmie Pass where the road was indistinguishable. White Pass was also closed, and chains were required for any motorists braving Stevens Pass. Avalanche warnings were issued for the eastern slopes of the Cascades by the Northwest Avalanche Center into Monday evening.

Flooding concerns were also raised in some areas early in the week, particularly where milder conditions and rain are likely to quickly melt any lingering piles of snow at lower elevations.

Portland set a new daily rainfall record of 1.49 inches on Monday, breaking the previous record for Jan. 3 of 1.32 inches that had stood since 1966.

The relentless stormy pattern will continue through much of the week.

Following the system from Monday and Monday night, "two more storms will follow before the end of the week," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Joseph Bauer.

Rain fell in cities such as Seattle and Portland, Oregon, on Tuesday, while even more snow piled up across the Cascades. Cold enough air is forecast to linger east of the Cascades to promote snow or at least a rain and snow mix across interior portions of Oregon and Washington, as well as Idaho and extreme western Wyoming and Montana through Tuesday night, AccuWeather forecasters say.

The highest snow totals, however, are forecast to remain in the highest elevations of the Cascades. By Wednesday morning, some locations in Washington could have as much as 3 feet of snow since the start of the year.

The combination of wind and snow could cause power outages across the region, as well as delay travel, outside of the highest elevations. As the storm continues to push eastward, accumulating snow is expected to spread across Wyoming, Colorado and into the central Plains by the middle of the week.

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The Pacific coast of Washington and Oregon will get a break from the wet weather Tuesday night, but the pause in precipitation will be brief. By Wednesday, a warm front will bring more wet weather to these areas, before precipitation expands inland through Thursday.

"The mid- and late-week storms will shift farther and farther north, bringing in milder air along with the precipitation," Bauer explained. Such a change will eliminate the risk of snow in Seattle and also allow more widespread rain or a rain-snow mix to fall across more of Oregon and southeastern Washington.

The milder conditions will also lead to rising snow levels. Areas that receive over a foot of snow early this week will instead be inundated with heavy rain. This will not only threaten to cause flooding in the region but also resurface avalanche concerns. Residents and travelers should heed any cautions and warnings issued by officials.

Yet another mild storm is likely to target the region by Friday, and that storm is expected to bring more wet weather, increasing the tally of storms in the Northwest to four before the first week of the new year comes to a close. While some wet weather could linger for the Northwest next weekend, drier conditions and warmer air are on the horizon for the middle of January.

Much of the Pacific Northwest has endured persistent cold and several helpings of snow since Christmas. Seattle and Portland both received snow every day from Dec. 26 to Dec. 31. The monthly total of 9.2 inches in Seattle is above the 6.3 inches typically observed in an entire winter for the city. Portland had measurable snow on Dec. 26, Dec. 27 and Dec. 28, with only a trace observed on Dec. 29 and Dec. 30 and another 0.1 of an inch on Dec. 31, which resulted in 4 inches in the month of December. A normal December snowfall total in Portland is 1.3 inches.

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