Aug 14, 2025 - News

Seattle braces for rare August atmospheric river

Christine Clarridge

Animated illustration of a weather map with rainclouds, cold front symbols and changing background colors. — Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios

An atmospheric river is expected to soak Seattle Friday night, delivering up to an inch of rain in the city and potentially five times that much in the mountains.

Why it matters: This may be a stroke of good news for crews fighting the Bear Gulch fire near Lake Cushman, which has charred more than 8,000 acres since igniting on July 6.

Driving the news: The storm could drop up to 5 inches of rain across Western Washington, with most of it falling over a 36- to 40-hour window, NWS meteorologist Logan Howard tells Axios.

About 0.75-1.25 inches is forecast in Seattle and the lowlands with 3 to 5 inches possible on the west slopes of the Cascades and Olympics, says Howard.

What they're saying: The level of atmospheric moisture in the system has been reaching daily record highs, says Howard. "It's safe to say this is highly unusual for August."

What's next: The rain should clear out by Saturday morning, per Howard.

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Seattle braces for rare August atmospheric river

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