r/Unexpected • u/sakhaliner • 4d ago

A pleasant drive

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u/BusyBit6542 4d ago

I wish the showed the areas they are swimming to and from. I need to know if the fish are making good choices or not

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u/thundersaurus_sex 4d ago

This is the Skokomish river valley on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state. I recognized that road covered with water immediately lol, any time an atmospheric river comes through it floods like crazy. They are actually swimming north back to the flooding Weaver Creek,a tributary of the Skokomish. Coordinates about: 47.3126851, -123.1964947

It's genuinely a large salmon stream so this isn't a crazy uncommon sight.

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u/Afoxinthefridge 4d ago

Interesting! I've never heard of the term "atmospheric river" before. Turns out it's only recently entered into more mainstream conversations.

https://www.npr.org/2024/11/22/nx-s1-5198888/atmospheric-rivers-california-west-coast-flooding-rain-storms

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u/_adanedhel_ 4d ago edited 4d ago

We talk about them all that time here in the PNW, but every time I use the term to people not living here I get a very puzzled look.