Publication Date December 11, 2015 | Associated Press

Northwest storms ease drought worries; mudslide risks remain

United States
Forecasters say the dramatic storms in the Pacific Northwest were easing up Thursday, but the threat from mudslides and flooding remained. Photo: Michael Lopez, AP
Forecasters say the dramatic storms in the Pacific Northwest were easing up Thursday, but the threat from mudslides and flooding remained. Photo: Michael Lopez, AP

Fierce storms in the Pacific Northwest sent rivers bursting from their banks, spilled boulders and trees into a major highway and spawned a rare tornado that snapped power poles and battered homes. They've also had one positive effect — easing drought concerns after an unusually dry summer