STORM SUMMARY NUMBER 3 FOR HEAVY RAIN EVENT OVER NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA AND SOUTHWESTERN OREGON
NWS HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL PREDICTION CENTER CAMP SPRINGS MD
1 PM PST TUE DEC 27 2005

...MULTI-DAY HEAVY PRECIPITATION EVENT NOW AFFECTING MUCH OF THE
PACIFIC NORTHWEST...

THE LATEST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR IS CURRENTLY SHOWING
COPIOUS RAINFALL FROM EUREKA ON THE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA COAST
EXTENDING TO NEAR SALEM OREGON. LATEST NOAA SATELLITE DATA IS
SHOWING ABUNDANT UPSTREAM MOISTURE OVER THE CENTRAL AND
NORTHEASTERN PACIFIC...AIMING EASTWARD TOWARD NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
AND WESTERN OREGON. 

AT 1 PM PST...THE SURFACE LOW PRESSURE CENTER WAS LOCATED IN THE
GULF OF ALASKA.  THE STRONGEST ONSHORE FLOW ASSOCIATED WITH THIS
SYSTEM WAS LOCATED WELL TO THE SOUTHEAST OF THE STORM AND WAS
DIRECTLY IMPACTING NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AND WESTERN OREGON. THIS
ONSHORE FLOW OF MOIST AIR INTO THE REGION IS EXPECTED TO BE
ANOMALOUSLY STRONG OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS AND WILL BE PERSISTENT.
CONSEQUENTLY VERY HEAVY RAINFALL AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED AND
ESPECIALLY FOR THE COASTAL RANGES. GENERALLY THE HEAVY
PRECIPITATION THREAT WILL OCCUR IN WAVES WITH  THE FIRST WAVE
HAVING ALREADY STARTED CONTINUING THRU THE DAY AND LASTING THROUGH
MOST OF THE DAY WEDNESDAY. THIS WILL BE FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER ROUND
OF HEAVY PRECIPITATION FRIDAY INTO EARLY SATURDAY AND A THIRD
ROUND OF HEAVY PRECIPITATION POSSIBLY ON SUNDAY.  

OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR RAINFALL AMOUNTS
OF 4 TO 8 INCHES OVER NORTHERN CALIFORNIA INTO SOUTHWESTERN
OREGON...WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM VALUES OF 10 INCHES OVER
NORTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA WHERE THE UPSLOPE FLOW INTO THE HIGHER
TERRAIN WILL BE THE GREATEST.  EACH SUCCESSIVE WAVE OF HEAVY
PRECIPITATION HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BRING SEVERAL INCHES OF
PRECIPITATION FOR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA INTO SOUTHWESTERN OREGON.

FLOOD WATCHES AND WARNING ARE CURRENTLY IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AND SOUTHWESTERN OREGON. 

HEAVY SNOW WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF IDAHO.

WINTER STORM WATCHES ARE IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF THE NORTHERN
SIERRA NEVADA RANGE...THE NORTHERN ROCKIES.

SNOW ADVISORIES ARE IN EFFECT FARTHER NORTH INTO THE CASCADES OF
WASHINGTON AND OREGON...AS WELL AS PORTIONS OF THE NORTHERN
ROCKIES.

AVALANCHE WATCHES ARE IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF THE WASHINGTON
STATE OLYMPIC RANGE.

HIGH WIND WATCHES AND WARNINGS HAVE BEEN ISSUED FOR THIS INTENSE
LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM AS SUSTAINED WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH ARE
FORECAST FOR PORTIONS OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST. 

...PRELIMINARY RAINFALL TOTALS THROUGH 1 PM PST...

CALIFORNIA...

HAPPY CAMP............................3.19 INCHES  1000 AM PST 

OREGON...

LAUREL MOUNTAIN.......................1.97 INCHES  0900 AM PST
MARION FORKS..........................1.34 INCHES  0900 AM PST
SEXTON SUMMIT.........................1.15 INCHES  1000 AM PST


THE NEXT STORM SUMMARY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL
PREDICTION CENTER AT 7 PM PST FOR THIS SYSTEM.  PLEASE REFER TO
STATEMENTS ISSUED BY LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICES FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS STORM.

FRIES