Kevin Schneider

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As the northwest eagerly awaits some dry time, it's going to come at another's expense. California will be the next in line to pick up heavy rain and snow looking ahead, as the pattern doesn't change, it merely moves. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot 2025-12-17 093822-1765989621213.png">Areas up and down the Sierra Nevada Mountains are in desperate need of snow, though. This year, we've picked up around 20% of what we normally should by this time of year. We'll try to change that going into the next few days. As the firehose drops south late this week into the weekend, rain will initially be the biggest concern. Snow levels will struggle to get all the way down to pass level at first, with this being a bit of a warm system. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot 2025-12-17 094054-1765989784668.png">But moving into the weekend, the snow levels will drop. But the best moisture might ultimately end up in the southern portion of the mountain range. <video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/2025-12-17 09-43-29-1765989882154.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Heavy, persistent rain will be the greatest threat going into the weekend, as it may not let up before rolling into the holiday travel week. By then, some areas could be staring down rainfall totals surpassing a FOOT!<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot 2025-12-17 094506-1765990003648.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot 2025-12-17 094523-1765990009756.png">This is a ways away, however, so be sure to check back with the forecast as we grow closer to the weekend.

Heavy Rain & Snow Moves into California Next Week

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Does it feel like deja vu? This persistently repeatable pattern that has been locked in for most of December has some side effects. No snow for the west. While areas around the Midwest are seeing their snowiest start to the Winter in years, areas out west are looking at their slowest start to the water year. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot 2025-12-17 090611-1765987589484.png">Take for instance, the Pacific Northwest. They've been seeing the worst of both patterns: warm systems that bring inundating rainfall to the area, without the benefits of slow-melting snowfall, keeping watersheds fed with a much-needed consistent water source. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot 2025-12-17 085543-1765987519843.png">Other areas like Colorado have seen a fairly soggy past month, but got off to one of the latest starts to winter on record in Denver. Kinda like how the northwest was struggling, any shot at moisture fell at once, as rain. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot 2025-12-17 085528-1765987734041.png">All of this information comes from the National Integrated Drought Information System, an offshoot of NOAA<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://nwcc-apps.sc.egov.usda.gov/imap/#version=2&amp;elements=&amp;networks=!&amp;states=!&amp;basins=!&amp;hucs=&amp;minElevation=&amp;maxElevation=&amp;elementSelectType=any&amp;activeOnly=true&amp;activeForecastPointsOnly=true&amp;hucLabels=false&amp;hucIdLabels=false&amp;hucParameterLabels=true&amp;stationLabels=&amp;overlays=&amp;hucOverlays=state&amp;basinOpacity=100&amp;basinNoDataOpacity=100&amp;basemapOpacity=100&amp;maskOpacity=0&amp;mode=data&amp;openSections=dataElement,parameter,date,basin,options,elements,location,networks,baseMaps,overlays,labels&amp;controlsOpen=true&amp;popup=&amp;popupMulti=&amp;popupBasin=&amp;base=esriWgc&amp;displayType=basin&amp;basinType=6&amp;dataElement=WTEQ&amp;depth=-8&amp;parameter=PCTMED&amp;frequency=DAILY&amp;duration=I&amp;customDuration=&amp;dayPart=E&amp;monthPart=E&amp;forecastPubDay=1&amp;forecastExceedance=50&amp;useMixedPast=true&amp;seqColor=2&amp;divColor=7&amp;scaleType=D&amp;scaleMin=&amp;scaleMax=&amp;referencePeriodType=POR&amp;referenceBegin=1991&amp;referenceEnd=2020&amp;minimumYears=20&amp;hucAssociations=true&amp;relativeDate=-4&amp;lat=41.191&amp;lon=-108.971&amp;zoom=5.5">Interactive Map at this link here</a><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot 2025-12-17 085846-1765987778263.png">So what would help? A breaking down of the pattern would be a great place to start, with some signs that we might get some help. As the jet stream dips into the holiday week, heavy rain will target California, but at least will start out a bit more to the south compared to where it's been recently.

West Facing Record Low Snow Levels

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Taban Sharifi grew up in Southern California between Los Angeles and San Diego. She is a Certified Broadcast Meteorologist (CBM) with the American Meteorological Society (AMS). She has a B.S. in Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Environmental Sciences with a minor in Environmental Systems and Society from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Go Bruins! While in school, Taban was a meteorology intern with NBC LA. There she helped forecast daily weather for the greater Los Angeles region and created a playbook to deploy weather sensors for NBC owned-and-operated stations across the country. Her first on-air job took her to San Angelo, Texas, where she was a morning meteorologist and co-anchor. Working in West Texas gave her knowledge and experience covering severe storms. From there, she moved to Palm Springs, California. People think forecasting in California is sunshine all the time, but with temperatures in the 120’s, wildfires, damaging winds, floodings, and earthquakes, the forecasting kept her very busy! She also worked there as a general assignment reporter and told community stories. Taban is excited for the challenge and opportunity to forecast nationally with WeatherNation. She also looks forward to exploring all that Colorado has to offer!

Taban Sharifi

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NORTHWEST - A state of emergency was declared for Washington State on Wednesday, December 10th, following days of heavy rain that led to historic river flooding.<div class="twitter-tweet" style="display: flex; justify-content: center" data-twitt-post-id="2000219235759362464" src="https://x.com/WeatherNation/status/2000219235759362464"></div>Thankfully, river levels have been dropping since Friday for many areas. The entire Skagit River Valley (in the 100-year flood plain) was given the "GO" order to evacuate early Thursday morning. The Skagit River in Mt Vernon crested at a new record high of 37.73 feet, but thankfully began to drop on Friday afternoon. The river is now in minor flood stage, but with additional rain this week, it could reach major flood stage again by Tuesday night.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/Web1-1765971289665.png"><h1>Additional Rain/Severe Weather</h1><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/pic6-1765985395878.png">Multiple rounds of heavy rain are expected, but there will be a few differences compared to the last event. The bad news? River levels are already high, and soils are saturated, so flooding will develop quickly. On top of the flooding concerns, high winds have rushed through the area, toppling trees and high-profile vehicles Wednesday morning. The threat of damaging winds will continue as this system moves east. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/Web4-1765971596801.png">As snow levels drop, winter weather will complete the trifecta of weather hazards with this system. Where winds and snow will cross, blizzard conditions will be the concern, as visibility will be drastically reduced. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/Web5-1765971405527.png">Portions of the Cascades and Olympic Range in Washington is also under Blizzard Warnings through Wednesday morning. This is the 3rd Blizzard Warning to be issued for the Cascade Mountains in the last 10 years.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot 2025-12-16 162400-1765927456412.png">Rainfall totals have surpassed 7-8 inches already, with more on the way. The heaviest of the rain looks to line up farther south, aiming at Oregon and northern California. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot 2025-12-17 084008-1765986021153.png">Additional rounds of heavy rain and snow are expected into the week. We won't have a lot of new snow until late tonight when temperatures begin to drop.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/2025-12-17 04-40-52-1765971680030.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Through Christmas, the Climate Prediction Center has a higher confidence that conditions will stay wetter than normal.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/web9-1765971714397.png">For more details, be sure to join us live at :50 past the hour for your Western Regional forecast.

ATMOSPHERIC RIVER: Winds Topping 100 MPH In the Northwest

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NORTHERN PLAINS - On Wednesday, a low-pressure system from the northwest will slide along the jet stream into the Northern Plains and Midwest. This system will move into some warmer air, so models are favoring more rainfall as opposed to snowfall.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/12--15 west to central-1765842581293.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Currently, from recent clipper systems, there is a decent snowpack on the ground across these states.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/Web1-1765971825715.png">With this next system moving in and bringing rain, this could lead to a bit of slush out there as the rain melts away the snowfall. The system moves through fast and over the Midwest and into the northeast by Thursday.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/2025-12-17 04-44-08-1765971872923.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Winter weather alerts have been issued for portions of North Dakota, Minnesota, and South Dakota for late Wednesday through Thursday for blizzard conditions possible and snowfall totals up to 2".<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/Web5-1765971911177.png">Precipitation totals look to be fairly minimal because of the speed at which this system moves through.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/Web5-1765972029193.png">For some, temperatures will be impacted by this front. For instance, look at Bismarck, North Dakota, a high of 42 on Wednesday and 30 degrees cooler by Thursday with a high of 10.<h1>SEVERE</h1>On the tail end of our front, ingredients could come together to lead to severe storms on Thursday. Since this system has LOADS of wind energy, organizing storms will not be hard. The question is getting to the storms. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot 2025-12-17 083316-1765985615795.png">Mostly likely outcome: a mess of rain with an embedded line of stronger storms capable of putting down damaging straight-line winds. Right now, the Storm Prediction Center has highlighted Tennessee and Kentucky with the greatest chance. <img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot 2025-12-17 083557-1765985764161.png">For more details on this, be sure to join us on WeatherNation live! We stream 24/7.

Messy System Moving into the Midwest

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It's been a cold start to the week for millions! Areas around the Great Lakes and Ohio River Valley took the most recent Arctic outbreak on the chin, with temperatures plummeting below zero in some instances. On Monday, as winds flipped out of the south, we began to thaw out and most of us are feeling either seasonable or above average by Wednesday. However......The Arctic air isn't getting shoved too far away. This week, we unlock another block of the cold stuff and slide it southward. The good news? It looks like it's not quite as brutal as the last shot.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/Web 1-1765981294700.png">A system will emerge out of the Rockies again, moving into much warmer temperatures by Wednesday. How much rain/snow/mud will that system drop? Relate Article: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.weathernationtv.com/news/rainy-system-to-move-over-snow">Sloppy System Moves into the Midwest</a>More importantly, the temperatures swinging on the other side of it will send another chill down the spine of the Heartland. Wednesday night will be the rudest, while Thursday night will likely be the coldest, but should see the winds subsiding. Bismarck, the usual poster child for nasty cold, will only top out in the single digits Thursday afternoon.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/12/Web 2-1765981555057.png">Like a trampoline, temperatures rebound the following day for most.

ATMOSPHERIC RIVER: Winds Topping 100 MPH In the Northwest

Messy System Moving into the Midwest

Returning Back to the Freezer This Week

Heavy Rain & Snow Moves into California Next Week

West Facing Record Low Snow Levels

ATMOSPHERIC RIVER: Winds Topping 100 MPH In the Northwest

Messy System Moving into the Midwest

Returning Back to the Freezer This Week

Heavy Rain & Snow Moves into California Next Week

West Facing Record Low Snow Levels

ATMOSPHERIC RIVER: Winds Topping 100 MPH In the Northwest

Messy System Moving into the Midwest

Returning Back to the Freezer This Week