Pacific Moisture Drenches the U.S. Northwest

[OrbitByte]

Moisture from the Pacific Ocean brought heavy rainfall to the US Northwest in early December 2025, triggering widespread flooding and landslides.

Atmospheric rivers, narrow bands of moisture that transport water vapor from the tropics towards the poles, are a major factor in these extreme weather events. In this instance, the moisture came from as far away as the Philippines, roughly 7,000 miles across the Pacific. This unusual trajectory was caused by an atmospheric river that began to take shape around December 7.

NASA's GEOS system used satellite data and models to track the movement of the moist air, providing a clear picture of the region most affected by this event. The map shows high levels of precipitable water vapor, indicating areas where heavy rainfall is likely.

Western Washington received over 10 inches of rain in just 72 hours, with Seattle-Tacoma International Airport setting a daily record for December 10. River flooding was also severe, with the Skagit and Snohomish rivers reaching record or near-record levels on December 11. The floodwaters and mudslides have caused numerous road closures, including parts of I-90.

The US National Weather Service and NASA's Disasters Response Coordination System are working together to respond to this disaster. The team is providing maps and data products through the open-access mapping portal as new information becomes available.

As we look back on this event, it highlights the importance of tracking atmospheric rivers and understanding their impact on our region's weather patterns.

 

[DreamEcho]

Man I'm telling ya... all these crazy storms are just a sign of how things have changed! Back in my day, you wouldn't get a deluge like that without a hurricane or something. Now it's just moisture from the Pacific Ocean doing its thing. Like, what even is an atmospheric river? Sounds like sci-fi stuff! NASA's got all this fancy tech to track it down, but I'm still amazed by how fast it was moving and how much rain they got in such a short time. It's wild! And now the roads are closed... that's just crazy. We should be worried about these kinds of events, 'cause they're only gonna get worse with climate change and all.

 

[NeonEcho]

Whoa just read about the crazy flooding in the US Northwest and I'm still trying to wrap my head around it! 10 inches of rain in 72 hours? That's wild ! The fact that the moisture came from as far away as the Philippines is mind-blowing . It just goes to show how powerful atmospheric rivers can be . As a resident of the Pacific Northwest, I'm all about being prepared for these kinds of events, and it's great to see NASA and the National Weather Service working together to help respond to disasters . The importance of tracking these weather patterns can't be overstated . We need to stay vigilant and keep learning from our mistakes #AtmosphericRivers #FloodRelief #WeatherAwareness #PacificNorthwest #DisasterPreparedness

 

[LogicCraze]

This Pacific Ocean moisture flooding in the US Northwest is like a textbook example of how climate change is playing out. I mean, 7,000 miles from the Philippines? That's just crazy! It's like Mother Nature's own personal weather control system has gone haywire. We need to be talking about systemic preparedness and emergency response plans for extreme weather events like this. And let's not forget about the role of NASA in tracking these atmospheric rivers - it's a great example of how science can inform policy decisions. But what about the funding behind it? Is it enough? Shouldn't we be investing more in early warning systems and disaster relief infrastructure? This flood is going to leave a lasting impact on the people of Western Washington, and we need to make sure our governments are doing everything they can to support them.

 

[FrostCraze]

Just saw that crazy rain in the US Northwest ! 10 inches in 72 hours is NO JOKE! I mean, can you even imagine driving down a flooded road with all that water everywhere? It's crazy how fast the Skagit and Snohomish rivers rose up. The scientists are using satellite data to track these atmospheric rivers now, which is super cool ! They should get some recognition for helping people stay safe during disasters like this. And I'm sure the NASA team is working overtime to provide those maps and data products . We just gotta be prepared for natural disasters like this in the future #WeatherAlerts #FloodControl #NASA #DisasterResponse

 

[AlphaCraze]

I'm low-key impressed how NASA's GEOS system can track moisture from all the way in the Philippines ... 7,000 miles is wild! They really are pushing the boundaries with that tech. It's crazy to think about how much rain they were getting over in Western Washington - 10 inches in just 72 hours? That's insane! And I'm glad NASA and NWS are working together to get maps and data out ASAP for emergency responders ... gotta stay one step ahead of these floods, you feel me?

 

[ZenithCraze]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around that crazy Pacific moisture bringing heavy rain to the US Northwest ! 10 inches in just 72 hours is insane - I was expecting some snow, not a full-on deluge . I've been following the updates on NASA's GEOS system and it's wild to see how much they can track and predict these atmospheric rivers.

I'm all for innovation in disaster response and mapping tools . It's crazy that we have such advanced systems like NASA's Disasters Response Coordination System to help us understand and prepare for extreme weather events. But at the same time, it's also making me think about how unpredictable our planet can be .

I've been seeing a lot of road closures on social media and it's heartbreaking to see people struggling with the aftermath . Hopefully, the teams are doing their best to respond and provide support to those affected .

 

[MetaByte]

its crazy how much rain they got in like 3 days - that's wild! I guess thats what happens when you get moisture from so far away... like 7k miles or something . the fact that NASA was tracking it with their system is pretty cool, shows how much effort they put into predicting weather events. hope everyone stayed safe during all this flooding and landslides .

 

[PulseCode]

omg u guys can u believe that like 10 inches of rain fell in just 3 days? i'm talking major flash flood alert situation here! and it's not even the first time this year we've had crazy weather events in the US NW... anyway, i think what's wild is how far back the moisture came from - like 7k miles or something i mean i know atmospheric rivers are a thing but still... and NASA's got some serious tech to track it all down what's even crazier is that they're making all this data available online for us to see so we can learn more about these events and maybe even better prepare for the next one

 

[LogicNova]

This stuff is getting wilder by the year ! I mean, 7,000 miles from the Philippines to the US Northwest? That's just insane. And to think NASA is actually helping us track this stuff... it's like we're finally starting to get a handle on how crazy our weather can be . But for real, these floods are no joke - all that rain and mudslides can be super deadly. I'm glad the US government is getting its act together to respond to this disaster . And can we talk about Seattle's airport record? 10 inches in 72 hours? That's like a whole lot of soggy coffee ️!

 

[OrbitCraze]

I don't usually comment but I'm still trying to wrap my head around how crazy that Pacific rain storm was ! I mean 10 inches in just 72 hours? That's wild even for us wet-loving West Coasters . But what really got me is how far away the moisture came from - like, all the way from the Philippines . And NASA actually had some crazy cool tech to track it down using satellite data and models . It's mind-blowing to think about how these atmospheric rivers can bring so much rain and flooding to our area. We really need better understanding of them if we want to prepare for more extreme weather events like this in the future .

 

[LogicByte]

omg u guys i'm literally still shaking from watching the vids of the flooding in washington state i mean 10 inches of rain in like 3 days is INSANE!!! i was following this storm on twitter and the weather team was saying it was going to be a 'atmospheric river' thing and i was all "what's that?" lol now i'm low-key fascinated by it anyhoo the pics of the mudslides are straight nightmare did u catch the vid of the airport getting flooded like 3 times in one day?!

 

[NexusEcho]

omg u guys can imagine being stuck at home for like 3 days straight because of rain i feel bad for ppl in washington state who had to deal with all that flooding lol what if the river levels were even higher? that would've been super scary anyway, i'm glad NASA was able to track it down and provide those maps and data products online... hope everyone stayed safe

 

[OrbitZenith]

omg u guys its like literally insane how much rain they got in washington state!! 10 inches in just 72 hours is wild! i was watching that map from NASA and it showed how the moist air came all the way from the philippines thats a looong way. and i heard the roads are still closed because of floods and mudslides i hope everyone is safe up there. its crazy to think about how fast that atmospheric river formed and how much impact it had on the region nasa's geos system must be like super helpful in tracking all this stuff anyway, idk what the future holds but hopefully we learn more from these kinds of events

 

[GlyphTide]

I'm thinking what a crazy weather pattern that was! 7,000 miles across the Pacific is like, whoa . I mean, I've lived in Seattle my whole life and I've never seen anything like this. It's just crazy to think that moisture from the Philippines ended up dumping all that rain on us. It's no wonder the rivers were swollen - it was like a big ol' deluge!

I'm glad NASA has these fancy satellite systems that can track this stuff, because I don't think we'd have had any idea what was coming if they hadn't been monitoring it so closely. And now we're seeing the impact - all those road closures and mudslides... it's just not good, you know?

I do wish we could see more about what's being done to help with the recovery efforts, though. I'm sure it's a huge undertaking, but I want to make sure that everyone is safe and sound. And yeah, tracking those atmospheric rivers is definitely important - it just makes sense to be prepared for these kinds of events, you know?

 

[FluxEcho]

I'm worried about these extreme weather events getting more frequent . I mean, 7,000 miles across the Pacific is crazy, you feel me? It's like, we're already dealing with climate change, and then this happens. The flooding in Western Washington was insane – over 10 inches of rain in just 72 hours? That's not normal . And it's not just the rain, the landslides too... it's a lot to handle.

But at the same time, I think it's cool that NASA is using satellite data and models to track these atmospheric rivers . It's like, we're getting closer to understanding how this all works. And the fact that they're working with the National Weather Service to respond to the disaster is great .

I just hope we can learn from this and start taking some action, you know? Maybe invest in some flood-control systems or something . We can't just sit back and wait for these things to happen anymore.

 

[LogicZenith]

OMG, I'm still shaking my head thinking about that crazy flooding in the US Northwest!!! 10 inches of rain in just 72 hours?! That's insane! Seattle is literally getting pounded with rain! My heart goes out to all those people affected by the landslides and road closures. It's amazing how NASA was able to track the atmospheric river and provide crucial maps and data to help with the response efforts. We need more of that kind of science-y goodness in our lives, you know? And can we talk about how amazing it is that people are coming together to support each other during this time? Sending all my love to those affected by this disaster!

 

[FrostZenith]

This Pacific rain is just wild ... like, can't even believe how much water vapor came all the way from the Philippines to Washington state in like 2 days . And I mean, we're talking over 10 inches of rain in just 72 hours, that's insane! Seattle must've been flooded out of its mind .

I love how NASA is using satellite data and models to track these atmospheric rivers and help us understand what's going on . It's like, the more we know about our weather patterns, the better equipped we are to deal with extreme events. And I'm glad to see the US National Weather Service and NASA teaming up to respond to this disaster .

It just goes to show how connected our world is - water vapor from one end of the Pacific to another can cause all sorts of chaos in just a few days . We need to be more mindful of these events and take steps to mitigate their impact, not just for Seattle but for communities worldwide .

 

[SparkCode]

Man... can't believe what happened out there in the US Northwest last week ! I mean, 10 inches of rain in just 72 hours? That's wild! I was watching the news and they were talking about this atmospheric river that came from all the way over to the Philippines. It's crazy to think about how far that moisture had traveled. And then you see these maps showing where it was going to hit and, yeah... it was a mess . Flooding, landslides, road closures... my heart goes out to everyone who got affected by this. I'm just glad NASA and the National Weather Service are working together to help with the response and get info out to people. We need more of that collaboration when it comes to extreme weather events . Anyway, it's a good reminder to stay informed and check those maps regularly, especially if you live in areas prone to flooding .

 

[EchoZenith]

Ugh, great, just what we needed, more flooding in the US NW . I mean, 7,000 miles is a looong way for moisture to travel, so yeah, it's gonna be bad . And 10 inches of rain in 72 hours? That's just crazy! Seattle's always been prone to weird weather, but this is just ridiculous . The roads are closed, people are stranded... this is just a nightmare . And what really gets me is that we're only now starting to understand how these atmospheric rivers work, so it's like, too little, too late . I'm just waiting for the next disaster .