The National Weather Service says a large swath of Oregon will see heavy rain this week as two strong atmospheric rivers move through the region.
A surge is expected on Monday, and another on Tuesday night to Wednesday.
Tyler Kranz is a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Portland. He said while the heaviest rain is expected in the Portland area, areas south will still see significant rainfall over a 72-hour period.
"Lane County, including Eugene, is at the southern periphery of where the rain is heaviest, so we’re still forecasting upwards of almost 4 inches right in Eugene actually,” Kranz told KLCC.
The Coast Range and Cascades could see 6 to 12 inches of rain from these systems.
There is a Flood Watch for several counties, including Lane, Lincoln, Benton, and Linn from 4:00 a.m. Monday through 4:00 a.m. Friday. South of Lane county, rain totals drop off, but forecasters say quick rises on rivers are still possible, and things could change.
“There is still a chance that it shifts just far enough south to where those counties would be fair game,” said Kranz. “But right now, that area is not favored to get hardest hit.”
Urban flooding and driving hazards like hydroplaning are possible as well. “There’s about a 35% chance of rain rates high enough to overwhelm storm drains in Eugene, and hydroplaning will be a risk late Monday through Wednesday," said Kranz.
The National Weather Service also warns of landslides in steep terrain and debris flows near burned areas.
