Atmospheric Rivers Bring Heavy Rain to Lane County, Flood Watch Issued
Two strong atmospheric rivers are sweeping into northwest Oregon beginning Monday, bringing multiple days of heavy rain and a heightened risk of river rises and flooding across Lane County. Forecasters warn residents to monitor official forecasts, prepare for runoff impacts, and expect regional variability with higher totals in the Coast Range and Cascades.
Two atmospheric river events arrived in northwest Oregon beginning Monday, Dec. 8, 2025, prompting a Flood Watch that includes Lane County and several neighboring jurisdictions. Forecasters described an initial surge on Monday followed by a second system Tuesday night into Wednesday, producing prolonged heavy rain and widespread runoff concerns across the region.
Meteorologists projected local rainfall differences across the county, with forecasts mentioning up to about 4 inches of rain in Eugene. The Coast Range and the Cascade foothills were expected to receive significantly more, with totals of 6 to 12 inches possible in higher terrain. Those higher totals increase runoff into tributaries that feed the countys rivers and streams and raise the potential for fast river rises and localized flooding.
The National Weather Service issued the Flood Watch to alert residents and public agencies that conditions could lead to inundation of low lying areas, overflow of creeks, and rapid changes in river levels. Timing of the heaviest periods was concentrated in a Monday surge and a second round beginning late Tuesday and continuing into Wednesday, producing repeated pulses of runoff rather than a single event.
For Lane County residents the primary impacts include elevated river levels, saturated soils that reduce drainage capacity, and a greater chance of road closures in flood prone corridors. Local infrastructure such as low water crossings and riverside properties are at higher risk during successive rain pulses. Travel will likely be affected by standing water and reduced visibility during heavy bands of rain.
Residents should closely monitor forecasts and local emergency notifications, limit travel when conditions deteriorate, avoid driving through flooded roadways, and secure outdoor items that could be swept downstream. Property owners near streams and rivers should be prepared to move valuables to higher ground and review evacuation plans. County and municipal emergency teams will be tracking river gauges and issuing advisories if conditions warrant.
The sequence of atmospheric rivers underscores the need for vigilance when storms produce repeated rounds of heavy precipitation, and the regional variability of totals means localized impacts could differ markedly across Lane County.
