Stormy pattern will help to ease drought conditions in the Pacific Northwest

By Maura Kelly, AccuWeather meteorologist

Updated May. 15, 2020 4:26 AM

The wet pattern that settled over the northwestern United States earlier this week will work to erase the rain deficit that has been building since the end of winter.

Rain arrived across the Northwest on Sunday and Monday, breaking a dry streak of about five to seven days in some cities across the region. As of Thursday morning, rainfall totals since the beginning of the week are 0.25-0.95 of an inch with some higher amounts into the mountains.

Rainfall totals are expected to climb through the rest of the week as the wet pattern is forecast to continue.

The storm that approached the area from the Pacific on Wednesday is forecast to track across the northwestern United States through the rest of the week. Showers and isolated thunderstorms will continue farther inland Friday and Saturday. A lack of moisture will keep many valley areas largely dry.

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Any thunderstorms that develop could have the ability to bring gusty winds and hail through the afternoon and evening hours each day.

An additional 0.05-1.00 inch of rain is expected across the region through Friday with up to 2.00 inches possible in the highest terrain.

Flash flooding can develop in areas that are on the receiving end of prolonged periods and multiple rounds of steadier rain. Low-lying and poor-drainage locations will be the most at risk.

While flooding issues will be a concern for some, most will welcome this additional rainfall with open arms.

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The stormy pattern that persisted through much of the winter quieted down into the beginning of spring.

In January, Eugene, Oregon, reported near-normal rainfall, 6.87 inches, for the month. The total monthly rainfall begins to trend lower as the calendar turns to spring, but a bigger deficit settled parts of the Northwest this year.

In February, Eugene reported only 26 percent of normal rainfall. The monthly total climbed to 60 percent in March. Then struggled to reach 44 percent in April. The normal monthly rainfall in Eugene from February to April is 5.61 inches, 4.99 inches and 3.33 inches respectively.

So far for the month of May, Eugene has reported 1.40 inches of rain. The city typically reports 2.74 inches for the month.

This drier pattern across parts of the Northwest and into Northern California has allowed drought conditions to reach severe to extreme levels in the Cascades and along coastal areas.

This week's rain is unlikely to be drought busting, but any rain can help dampen some of the brush as wildfire season quickly approaches. May is usually the transition into wildfire season in the western U.S.

The storm will continue to push inland on Friday and Saturday. Outside of showers continuing in the Rocky Mountains, dry conditions will return to the region through the beginning of the weekend.

This break will be brief as another storm is forecast to eye the Northwest by the end of the weekend and will bring a fresh round of coastal rain and interior showers.

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