Topline
Two people have died in Oregon as flooding pounds the Pacific Northwest due to an atmospheric river hitting the region, and flood warnings are still in effect Wednesday as more rain is expected.
Key Facts
One man was found dead Tuesday in Washington County, Oregon, and officials found the body of another man Monday who they say was swept away in Johnson Creek in Portland.
The record rainfallâmore than nine inches in some areasâis a result of an atmospheric river, or a long, narrow region in the atmosphere similar to a river in the sky that moves water vapor and often results in snow or rain hitting the area.
On Tuesday, Amtrak announced it was suspending service between Seattle and Portland until Thursday morning as a result of a landslide in the area.
Dozens of roads in Washington were closed due to flooding, CNN reported, and four roads were still closed as of 2 p.m. EST on Wednesday, according to the Washington Department of Transportation.
At least two roads in Oregon were still closed Wednesday afternoon, according to the Oregon Department of Transportation, and the department was encouraging people to allow for extra travel time all week due to weather.
Four rivers in Washington and Oregon were still under a flood warning just before 11 a.m. PST, at the time of the National Weather Serviceâs latest update.
Surprising Fact
Silvana, Washington, which is about 40 miles north of Seattle, could only be reached by boat on Tuesday night due to flooding, according to a local television reporter. Firefighters had to evacuate the entire town of about 200 people, the Washington Post reported.
What To Watch For
More impacts of the rain. On Tuesday night, the National Weather Service warned of potential for mud and rockslides âas the soil becomes increasingly saturated.â CNN reported another two to four inches of rain was expected in some parts of Washington and Oregon on Wednesday.
Key Background
Average atmospheric rivers can carry as much water vapor as the equivalent to âthe average flow of water at the mouth of the Mississippi River,â according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Atmospheric rivers, the majority of which are weak and donât cause major problems, start in the tropics and lead to extreme rainfall and flooding by âstalling over watersheds vulnerable to flooding,â NOAA said. Tuesdayâs rainfall led to a number of broken records in the area, including record daily rainfall at the Sea-Tac Airport and record daily rainfall at the Olympia Airport. Both previous records were set in 1970 and were topped Tuesday, with 2.01 inches recorded at Sea-Tac and 2.69 at Olympia, according to the National Weather Service in Seattle.