Why do Atmospheric Rivers Occur?

 The Cliff Mass Weather Blog provides information about current weather, predictions, climate issues, and related events.

• An atmospheric river event is predicted for February 22 and 23, 2025, that will bring heavy rainfall to the mountains and South Sound area.

• The UW WRF model forecasts up to 10 inches of rain in the southern Cascades, which may lead to significant flooding, especially on the Snoqualmie River near Carnation.

• There will be a rain shadow effect from the NE Olympics to Bellingham due to the geographical features of the area.

• Atmospheric rivers are caused by plumes of warm, moist air moving in from the south, which are detectable by NOAA satellites.

• The Integrated Water Vapor Transport (IVT) helps in predicting rainfall potential by combining the amount of water vapor with wind speed.

• Strong southwesterly winds and specific pressure patterns in the Gulf of Alaska and southern California contribute to the formation of these atmospheric rivers.

• The dynamics of atmospheric rivers resemble real rivers, as they gather water vapor from surrounding areas, similar to how streams flow into a river.

The blog emphasizes the expected heavy rainfall from an atmospheric river event, with potential flooding in certain regions. It explains how these weather patterns form and their characteristics, providing insights into upcoming weather conditions. 

https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2025/02/why-do-atmospheric-rivers-occur.html