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Heavy Rain, Flooding Soaks The Northwest
December 9, 2025 at 03:48 PM EST
By WeatherBug's Anna Ruhl
An atmospheric river will send plumes of heavy moisture into the Pacific Northwest through Thursday, prompting concerns for flooding across the region.
A compact influx of water vapor from the Pacific Ocean brings continued rainfall to the Pacific Northwest. Surges of moisture from an atmospheric river over the area have resulted in saturated soils within the region, causing the area to become prone to flooding.
Major moisture surges have already impacted the area over the past few days, with additional larger plumes of moisture anticipated to pass through Oregon and Washington through today into Thursday. With this setup, folks in the region can expect prolonged periods of moderate to heavy rainfall which will manifest dangerous flash flooding and landslides over steep terrain.
There will be 3 to 6 inches of rainfall within the Willamette Valley in Oregon and areas bordering both the Seattle and Portland, Ore., metro areas. Cascade, Olympic, and Coastal Mountain Ranges will see liquid precipitation values well above 10 inches through Thursday. In central Idaho, 2 to 4 inches of rainfall should be expected in the valleys, while mountain tops will see 4 to 8 inches of precipitation.
Currently, there are Flood Watches issued for western Washington, northwest Oregon, northern Idaho and northwestern Montana.
Always remember to “Turn Around, Don’t Drown!” when flooding is possible, and to stay up to date with the latest updates for possible flood alerts.
Be sure to download the WeatherBug app to stay up to date on the latest on this changing weather. It’s never too early to have a supply kit packed in case of inclement weather. A simple kit including a weather radio, water, blankets, batteries, and non-perishable food items will go a long way in the event of a power outage.
A compact influx of water vapor from the Pacific Ocean brings continued rainfall to the Pacific Northwest. Surges of moisture from an atmospheric river over the area have resulted in saturated soils within the region, causing the area to become prone to flooding.
Major moisture surges have already impacted the area over the past few days, with additional larger plumes of moisture anticipated to pass through Oregon and Washington through today into Thursday. With this setup, folks in the region can expect prolonged periods of moderate to heavy rainfall which will manifest dangerous flash flooding and landslides over steep terrain.
There will be 3 to 6 inches of rainfall within the Willamette Valley in Oregon and areas bordering both the Seattle and Portland, Ore., metro areas. Cascade, Olympic, and Coastal Mountain Ranges will see liquid precipitation values well above 10 inches through Thursday. In central Idaho, 2 to 4 inches of rainfall should be expected in the valleys, while mountain tops will see 4 to 8 inches of precipitation.
Currently, there are Flood Watches issued for western Washington, northwest Oregon, northern Idaho and northwestern Montana.
Always remember to “Turn Around, Don’t Drown!” when flooding is possible, and to stay up to date with the latest updates for possible flood alerts.
Be sure to download the WeatherBug app to stay up to date on the latest on this changing weather. It’s never too early to have a supply kit packed in case of inclement weather. A simple kit including a weather radio, water, blankets, batteries, and non-perishable food items will go a long way in the event of a power outage.