A swarm of hundreds of small earthquakes was detected beneath the summit of Mount Rainier, Washington, starting at 01:29 LT (08:29 UTC) on July 8, 2025, prompting increased monitoring by the USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory and the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network.
Severe thunderstorms swept through Seattle and much of the Pacific Northwest on March 26, 2025, after the National Weather Service (NWS) issued the first Severe Thunderstorm Watch for Seattle since 1999. The storms brought hail, rain, and frequent lightning that damaged multiple structures.
The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has issued a rare level 2 out of 5, or Slight Risk, for severe thunderstorms across parts of the Pacific Northwest from March 26 to 27, potentially impacting over 7.2 million people in major cities such as Seattle, Portland, and Vancouver. The threats include hail in excess of 2.5 cm (1 inch), wind gusts over 93 km/h (58 mph), and possible isolated tornadoes.
Three atmospheric rivers (ARs) are forecast to impact the Pacific Northwest (PNW) from Wednesday, March 19, 2025, into early next week, bringing significant precipitation and potential excessive rainfall to Oregon and Washington.
An atmospheric river that made landfall over the U.S. West Coast on Saturday, February 22, 2025, brought heavy rain and widespread flooding, particularly in Washington and Oregon, where multiple roads have been closed.
A very bright fireball was observed over the skies of Washington, U.S. and British Columbia, Canada at around 02:17 UTC on Sunday, December 29, 2024. Observers noted that the fireball was particularly bright and visible through heavy cloud cover, displaying hues of white, green, and red with some reports of yellow and light blue.
A series of atmospheric rivers (ARs) is forecast to bring heavy precipitation, flooding risks, and winter storm impacts to the U.S. West Coast this week, with the first AR making landfall on Tuesday, December 17, 2024. The fourth and fifth ARs are forecast to make landfall on December 21 and 22. Up to 500 mm (20 inches) of rain expected in some areas and significant streamflow rises in western Washington and Oregon.
Record-breaking rains caused a massive landslide in Bellingham, Washington, on Sunday, October 27, 2024, blocking a three-mile stretch of northbound Interstate 5.
A series of over 100 shallow earthquakes have struck 48 km (30 miles) on the edge of the Hanford nuclear site northwest of Washington’s Tri-Cities since Saturday, September 21, 2024, with scientists attributing the tremors to tectonic activity near the Yakima Fold and Thrust Belt.
A late-season atmospheric river event is set to bring heavy rain and strong winds to the Pacific Northwest starting Sunday, June 2, 2024. The weather system is expected to impact several regions, including the Cascades and the Seattle metro area, with potential flooding and significant rainfall.
