The jet stream is an important ingredient in our weather, but it will be playing a particularly big role heading into the holidays.
Ridges and troughs in the jet stream are expected in the winter season. For the next week or two, the jet stream crossing the North Pacific will be abnormally straight and strong. The strongest swath will surpass 200 km/h, and stretch nearly 12,000 kilometres from the Philippines to North America.
SEE ALSO: Blast of snow will bring a swath of travel hazards to the Prairies
The positive news is for air travel from Asia to North America, shaving as much as two hours off the journey from Hong Kong to Vancouver, B.C., or California.
The negative news is for drivers along the Western Seaboard. Multiple streams of subtropical moisture will fuel storms as they strengthen, and are transported by the jet stream to the Pacific coast.
From Northern California to B.C., multiple storms will hamper travel leading up to, and potentially during, the peak of holiday travel.
Long-range models are putting extra emphasis on the Dec. 26-28 window. Power outages will once again be a concern for southern B.C., Washington state, and the Oregon coast.
Multiple rounds of heavy rain will challenge the rivers and low-lying areas along the coast, while heavy snow will be a headache for the mountain passes from I-70 to the Coquihalla in B.C. Inland, downsloping winds will be the final impact as the drier air rushes into Alberta and Montana.
Check in daily for updated travel impacts and storm timing.
