The Christmas travel period is around the corner. For those starting their destination at the Portland International Airport, this year will be far busier than the last but hopefully with less weather complications. PDX officials project that 730,000 people will travel through the airport from Dec. 17 through Dec. 31, which is about 20% more travelers than this same period in 2022.
Record pre-winter temperatures and rainfall at elevations as high as 9,000 feet have wiped out a large swath of early-season snowpack accumulating in the Cascades as a Pineapple Express continues to plow through the Pacific Northwest.
The atmospheric river passing through the Pacific Northwest has “stalled,” the National weather service said. As a result, more heavy rainfall is likely across the region Wednesday.
Satellite imagery provided by NASA gives a clear picture of the atmospheric river actively flowing into the Pacific Northwest, supplying the region with warmer temperatures and inches of rain.
The seasonal king tides forecast to swamp Oregon and Washington’s coastline from Nov. 25 to Nov. 27 will pair with a heightened risk of sneaker waves. The combo will create especially dangerous beach conditions through the Thanksgiving weekend.