A series of storms moving across the western United States through the final weekend of 2024 poses a heightened threat of flash flooding, damaging winds, and disruptive snowfall from Northern California to Washington, according to forecasters at AccuWeather. The ongoing wet weather pattern, which began earlier in the month, has seen storms making landfall every 24 to 72 hours, bringing renewed bouts of rain and snow in higher elevations. Earlier this week, severe storms caused rough seas that led to a section of the Santa Cruz Wharf in California collapsing into the ocean after being battered by high waves. The forthcoming storms expected to hit the region could cause further damage and worsen travel delays for drivers and air travelers during a busy period of the year.
AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Tyler Roys warned, “Some of the most impactful storms of this turbulent period are forecast to hit the region in the latter part of the week, starting late on Christmas Day and continuing into Christmas night.” Rainfall totals of 4-8 inches are anticipated along the coast from northwestern California to Washington’s Olympic Peninsula from later on Wednesday through Friday, with a potential maximum of 16 inches in localized areas.
Due to the already saturated ground from previous storms, any additional rainfall until Friday raises the risk of flooding and mudslides, particularly in areas affected by wildfires and near rivers flowing out of the Cascades. Regions along the Interstate 5 corridor from Seattle to Portland and Medford, Oregon, should brace for heavy rain arriving in two waves—one from Wednesday night into Thursday morning and another from Thursday night into Friday morning. The second wave, unlike the storm on Christmas night, may shift farther south and bring significant rain to the northern parts of the San Francisco Bay area.
Roys highlighted that the storms following the holiday are likely to bring stronger wind gusts, especially along the coast, where gusts could reach speeds of up to 80 mph from northwestern California through western Washington. The combination of strong winds, heavy rain, and saturated ground heightens the risk of power outages and fallen trees.
Snow levels across the Cascades and northern Rockies will fluctuate with each passing storm through the weekend, leading to snow accumulation on many mountain passes in Oregon and Washington and the possibility of pass closures such as Scott Mountain Summit, Snoqualmie, and Stevens. Up to 2 feet of snow is forecasted between Wednesday night and Friday.
AccuWeather Meteorologist Brandon Buckingham explained, “The fluctuating freezing levels due to different storms until the end of the week will create an avalanche risk in mountainous areas, as rain may compact snow during warmer periods of the storm, only for it to freeze again and accumulate more snow when temperatures drop. This pattern of thawing and freezing, along with additional water saturating the snowpack, poses a significant danger across the Cascades, northern Rockies, and the northern Sierra Nevada.”
The stormy conditions are expected to persist into the weekend, with warmer air moving in and
“And, as more storms are expected through the start of 2025,” Roys said. Want next-level safety, ad-free? Unlock advanced, hyperlocal severe weather alerts when you subscribe to Premium+ on the AccuWeather app. AccuWeather Alerts™ are prompted by our expert meteorologists who monitor and analyze dangerous weather risks 24/7 to keep you and your family safer.
