STORM SUMMARY NUMBER 2 FOR HEAVY RAIN EVENT OVER NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA AND SOUTHWESTERN OREGON
NWS HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL PREDICTION CENTER CAMP SPRINGS MD
7 AM PST TUE DEC 27 2005

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

THE LATEST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR IS SHOWING AN EXPANSIVE
AREA OF MODERATE TO LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN NOW AFFECTING MUCH OF
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AND EXTENDING NORTHWARD INTO SOUTHERN OREGON.
THE HEAVIEST RAINS AS OF 7 AM PST ARE FALLING NEAR CRECENT CITY
CALIFORNIA AND ADJACENT COASTAL RANGES. LATEST NOAA SATELLITE DATA
IS SHOWING ABUNDANT UPSTREAM MOISTURE OVER THE CENTRAL AND
NORTHEASTERN PACIFIC...AIMING EASTWARD TOWARD NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
AND WESTERN OREGON. 

AT 7 AM PST...THE CENTER OF THE MAIN STORM IS LOCATED NEAR 52.5N
149.0W...OR APPROXIMATELY 1055 NAUTICAL MILES WEST NORTHWEST OF
SEATTLE WASHINGTON.  WHILE THE CENTER OF THE STORM IS FAR FROM THE
WEST COAST...THE STRONGEST ONSHORE FLOW IS LOCATED WELL TO THE
SOUTHEAST OF THE STORM AND WILL BE 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 ARE CURRENTLY IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA AND SOUTHWESTERN OREGON. WINTER STORM WATCHES ARE IN
EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF THE NORTHERN SIERRA NEVADA RANGE. SNOW
ADVISORIES ARE IN EFFECT FARTHER NORTH INTO THE CASCADES OF
WASHINGTON AND OREGON

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. HIGH WIND WARNINGS
ARE CURRENTLY IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN WASHINGTON AND
OREGON WITH COASTAL AREAS EXPECTED TO SEE THE STRONGEST WINDS. 

THE NEXT STORM SUMMARY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL
PREDICTION CENTER AT 1 PM PST FOR THIS SYSTEM.  PLEASE REFER TO
STATEMENTS ISSUED BY LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICES FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS STORM.

ORRISON