ATMOSPHERIC RIVER FLOODING
In December 2025, existing weather patterns and unusually warm sea surface temperatures fueled a series of atmospheric rivers—some stretching 7,000 miles across the Pacific Ocean—from the Philippines to the Pacific Northwest. All this excess precipitation caused many western Washington rivers to swell and reach record flood levels, testing levees and dams, and inundating low-lying farms, homes, and businesses.
During the disaster and in the weeks that followed, I assisted with live updates and visual journalism that helped inform reporting across the newsroom—from capturing satellite imagery centered over the Pacific to tracking down ArcGIS layers of flood hazard zones, fact-checking with experts and verifying copyrights/permissions.
These maps were part of Pulitzer Finalist breaking news coverage in The Seattle Times. They show 100-year floodplains, NWS hourly and 5-day flood inundation mapping (FIM), high-risk areas, and evacuation zones.
December 9, 2025
Washington
Atmospheric river
Oregon
Idaho
California
PACIFIC OCEAN
Hawaii
December 9, 2025
Atmospheric river
Washington
Oregon
PACIFIC
OCEAN
Hawaii
Click on thumbnails to view larger versions.
Atmospheric rivers likely amplified by climate change
A warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture. For every one degree Fahrenheit of warming, the atmosphere can hold onto 4% more moisture. Meanwhile, as ocean waters warm, they are releasing more water into the atmosphere via evaporation. Taken together, these conditions can fuel atmospheric rivers, more rain, and more flooding.
According to Climate Central, warmer sea surface temperatures from the Philippines to Hawai‘i were 10 to 100 times more likely due to climate change.
Process
I created the maps using ArcGIS and Adobe Illustrator, with data and satellite layers sourced from NWS, NOAA, FEMA, Washington Emergency Management, Washington’s Department of Ecology, and Climate Central. They were formatted to be consistent with Seattle Times’ house style.
