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NOAA satellites monitored a series of storms form an atmospheric

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river that has been impacting the Pacific Northwest this week.

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On Dec. 4, 2023, the storms brought record-breaking rainfall

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and significant snowfall to some areas.

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The heavy rain caused significant flooding, leading to the closure of

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roads, schools and train service across the region.

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The moisture continued to move eastward allowing drier

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conditions to return.

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Atmospheric rivers are long, narrow belts of moisture 
that move through the atmosphere.

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This moisture can result in heavy rain and snow.

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Mudslides can also occur when ground water in areas such as burn

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scars is saturated with rain from these storms.

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GOES West tracked the band of moisture as it moved over the Pacific

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Ocean and into the Pacific Northwest in near real-time.

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Satellite imagery from GOES West can help identify the boundaries

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between different air masses.

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Meanwhile, JPSS’s microwave sounding instrument allow scientists to

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see through the cloud cover.

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The instruments probe the atmosphere vertically, to collect

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multi-layered data on temperature and moisture.

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The data allows forecasters to give advance 

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warning of heavy rain and snow.

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NOAA satellites provide critical data for forecasting atmospheric

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river events and monitoring the weather conditions they bring.

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Earth From Orbit: Atmospheric River Impacts the Pacific Northwest

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Photos courtesy of Oregon Department of Transportation.

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