West Coast faces heavy rain, powerful surf as atmospheric river fuels season's most relentless, intense storms
The most significant threat this week will be along the coastlines of Washington, Oregon and California, where massive ocean swells will drive destructive surf and life-threatening sneaker waves.
Strong storms continue to rattle Northwest US
Intense atmospheric rivers are moving onshore in the Pacific Northwest, bringing dangerous waves, gusty winds and even snow, especially to Washington and Oregon. Conditions are impacting as far south as Northern California. Get the forecast:
The Pacific Northwest has faced a week of storms that've brought near tropical storm-force winds, rounds of heavy rain, massive waves and even snow, all of which will continue through mid-week.
The most significant threat this week will be along the coastlines of Washington, Oregon and California, where massive ocean swells will drive destructive surf and life-threatening sneaker waves, the FOX Forecast Center said.
A broader, much stronger system in the northeast Pacific is sweeping a front onshore through Saturday.
Widespread rain will keep soaking the already-saturated ground, and totals are likely to exceed 6 inches in some places along the coasts.
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Areas in and around San Francisco have reported flash flooding, with water covering roads and vehicles trapped in flooding.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - NOVEMBER 3: A view of Golden Gate Bridge as big waves are seen during a rainy day at Fort Point in San Francisco, California, United States on November 3, 2026. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu / Getty Images)
Winds between 60 and 80 mph will be a problem along the coast, and 40 mph along the Interstate 5 corridor, the FOX Forecast Center said.
High Wind Warnings are also in place across the south-central Oregon coast.
This weekend's storms are part of a much larger pattern.
The FOX Forecast Center said each of these storms will be powerful, fueling even higher winds over the Pacific pushing monster waves toward the coast.
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Massive waves between 40 and 50 mph are possible through Monday along the Washington, Oregon and Northern California coasts.
High Surf Warmings are in place for these areas through the weekend.
San Francisco also is in a Coastal Flood Advisory through Saturday evening.
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Beach erosion will threaten more than 500 miles of coastline from Washington to Southern California, the FOX Forecast Center said.
Turning to the Sierra Nevada and Intermountain West, snow will be the main event.
A large ridge of upper-level high pressure is building across the interior West, acting like a wall against the broader Pacific storm track instead of allowing these systems to cleanly move inland.
It started on Friday, as an atmospheric river was split in two pieces, and heavy rain will push into Northern and Central California and snow and strong winds will push into the Sierra Nevada.
A Winter Storm Warning is in effect for areas including parts of Yosemite National Park and the Eastern Sierra mountains.
Snow is forecast to remain between 5,000 and 7,000 feet elevation.