A powerful storm is bringing nasty weather to the Pacific Northwest today andespecially tonight. Potentially flooding rain and very windy conditions are instore for coastal areas of Washington, Oregon and northwestern California.A widespread rainfall of 1-2 inches will pelt the Pacific Northwest coast byearly Tuesday, but the heaviest and most persistent rain will drenchnorthwestern Washington. The Olympic mountains could be soaked by 3-5 inches ofrain into Tuesday afternoon.
The Pacific Northwest coast will be pummeled by frequent wind gusts of 40-60mph with the strongest winds occurring this evening and into the first half ofthe night. Wind gusts could peak at 70-80 mph at some of the beaches in Oregonand Washington! Power outages, downed trees and some minor damage to shingles and siding couldoccur with the strongest wind gusts. The worst damage will likely be close tothe coast, where waves will also pound the shoreline.
Snow will fall over the higher elevations of the Washington Cascades. Watch forslow travel with icy spots and gusty winds across some of the major passes likeSnoqualmie. A wintry mix may also make roads slippery across parts of easternWashington and Oregon.
Story by AccuWeather.com Meteorologist Meghan Evans.
