Flash flood watches in effect near recent wildfires in California

9:40 a.m. PDT Oct. 23, 2021

Flash flood watches and 2021 fires
Flash flood watches (green shaded areas), 8:37 a.m. PDT Oct. 23, 2021. The purple lines indicate the perimeters of fires in 2021.

The National Weather Service has issued numerous flash flood watches for areas near many of the recent California wildfires. Heavy rain could bring ash and debris flows to locations below recently burned areas. At 8:37 a.m. on Saturday the NWS had not listed any major flash flood warnings in Oregon or Washington.

The atmospheric river combined with a bomb cyclone are bringing massive amounts of precipitation to areas of Northern California, Oregon, and Washington.

Precipitation accumulated California
Precipitation accumulated during the 48-hour period ending at 8:56 a.m. PDT Oct. 23, 2021. The purple lines indicate the perimeters of fires in 2021.

Precipitation accumulated over the 48-hour period ending at 8:56 a.m. PDT Oct. 23 showed approximately 1 to 2 inches near the Dixie Fire, one-half to 1 inch near the Caldor Fire, and 1 to 3 inches in northwestern California near the McCash, Monument, and River Fires. About 1 to 2 inches were recorded near the fires of 2020 in the Napa and Santa Rosa area, and up to 3 inches at the Doe and Hopkins Fires of 2020.

And more is on the way.

Predicted 72-hour cumulative precipitation and 2021 fires
Predicted 72-hour cumulative precipitation. The purple lines indicate the perimeters of fires in 2021.

The video below is an October 22 briefing from the National Weather Service about the storm system that is bringing heavy rain and mountain snow, along with the potential for urban flooding and ash and debris flows to recently burned areas.