<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1YCXoD_0wM5RA5i00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1YCXoD_0wM5RA5i00" width="1200" height="712" ><figcaption>An atmospheric river is expected to bring heavy rainfall in Oregon this weekend (Image: NOAA)</figcaption></figure>Oregon has been told to brace for heavy rain and warmer temperatures as an atmospheric river bears down on the Pacific Northwest.Forecasters say rainfall is likely to continue into next week with strong winds of up to 35 mph also expected.Satellite images show the weather pattern will be weaker than other atmospheric rivers as the tail end will touch down on the West Coast.Northwest Oregon and Southwest Washington are set to be impacted.Average temperatures around Oregon will sit at 65 degrees fahrenheit on Saturday, before dropping to 52 degrees on Saturday and 45 on Monday.In Washington state, the Weather Channel expects temperatures of 64 degrees fahrenheit on Saturday, followed by mid-50 degrees on Sunday and Monday.<h2>What is an atmospheric river?</h2>Atmospheric rivers are long and relatively narrow bands of water vapor that form over an ocean and flow through the sky, transporting much of the moisture from the tropics to northern latitudes.They occur globally but are especially significant on the West Coast of the United States, where they create 30 percent to 50 percent of annual precipitation and are vital to water supplies but also can cause storms that produce flooding and mudslides, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.DON'T MISS:<ul><li>New Mexico floods leave hundreds trapped as 120-year-old weather record smashed [INSIGHT]</li><li>Fox cuts away from unhinged Trump speech in Detroit [REPORT]</li><li>Teen accused of killing 5 family members in Washington state appeared in court [SPOTLIGHT]</li></ul>Formed by winds associated with cyclones, atmospheric rivers typically range from 250 miles to 375 miles (400 to 600 kilometers) in width and move under the influence of other weather.Many atmospheric river events are weak. But the powerful ones can transport extraordinary amounts of moisture. Studies have shown that they can carry seven to 15 times the average amount of water discharged daily by the Mississippi River, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.</div></body>

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Oregon weather: Atmospheric river bears down on Pacific Northwest as storms brew

Oregon has been told to brace for heavy rain and warmer temperatures as an atmospheric river bears down on the Pacific Northwest. Forecasters say rainfall is likely to continue into next week with strong winds of up to 35 mph also expected. Satellite images show the weather pattern will be...