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handle is hein.crs/goveknt0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Congressional
* ResearchS Srvice

Atmospheric Rivers: Background and
Forecasting
February 1, 2023
An atmospheric river (AR) consists of a long band of water vapor moving through the atmosphere,
typically resulting in heavy precipitation over land (Figure 1). Improved AR observations and
understanding (especially for large ARs) may facilitate flood preparedness and response and water supply
management. This is especially true in some western snowpack-dominated watersheds. ARs significantly
influence U.S. West Coast water conditions, producing on average 30%-50% of the region's annual
precipitation, as illustrated by the December 2022-January 2023 series of ARs that affected the region,
particularly California. ARs may have implications for other U.S. regions, as well. For instance, ARs from
the Gulf of Mexico contributed to central U.S. flooding in 1983 and 2008 and southern U.S. flooding in
2016. Congress may influence AR research and the use of AR information through authorizations and
appropriations for involved agencies, such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA), which conducts and supports AR science, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE),
which manages water resources and flood risks.
Congressional Research Service
https://crsreports.congress.gov
IN12094

CRS INSIGHT
Prepared for Members and
Committees of Congress -

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