atmospheric river

noun

plural atmospheric rivers

: a concentrated band of water vapor that flows through the atmosphere and that is a significant part of the global hydrologic cycle and an important source of regional precipitation

Environment Canada is working on a new system to rank atmospheric rivers, a type of weather system that damaged highways, flooded farms and homes, and left at least four people dead in southern B.C. earlier this week.

—Wendy Stueck

Atmospheric rivers are relatively long, narrow regions in the atmosphere—like rivers in the sky—that transport most of the water vapor outside of the tropics. These columns of vapor move with the weather, carrying an amount of water vapor roughly equivalent to the average flow of water at the mouth of the Mississippi River. When the atmospheric rivers make landfall, they often release this water vapor in the form of rain or snow.

—National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

In a typical year, significant atmospheric river storms occur about 10 to 15 times in California. Ultimately, they account for up to 50% of the state's precipitation.

—Paul Rogers

Examples of atmospheric river in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Heavy rain from an ongoing atmospheric river in California caused a mudslide that trapped several cars on Thursday. —Raja Krishnamoorthi, Newsweek, 13 Mar. 2025

The West Coast is braced for an atmospheric river event that threatens flash flooding and power outages from heavy rain and snow, making travel conditions hazardous or even impossible for some commuters. —Patrick Smith, NBC News, 13 Mar. 2025

Intense atmospheric rivers can replenish some of the Greenland Ice Sheet’s lost ice Britannica. —Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 4 Mar. 2025

Last week alone, four premieres around town created an atmospheric river of chamber opera and opera-like works, home-grown and imported. —Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1993, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for atmospheric river

• caregiver
• deliver
• downriver
• lawgiver
• upriver
• giver
• liver
• livre
• quiver
• shiver
• sliver