Pineapple Express Brings Flood and Avalanche Concerns to the Northwest

It has been a dry stretch of days for most of the Pacific Northwest, but a change is on the way. A Pineapple Express style atmospheric river is now feeding rounds of rain into western British Columbia and western Washington, with the biggest concerns focused on flooding, rapid snowmelt runoff, and avalanche danger in steep terrain. The stormy stretch lingers into early week before a much-needed dry break builds in later this week.

Pineapple Express Targets Washington, British Columbia, and Southeast Alaska

A long-duration atmospheric river is directing a plume of moisture into the Pacific Northwest and adjacent Canada. Forecasters are warning a potentially dangerous setup as inches of rain combine with moderating temperatures and melting snow, raising the risk of flooding and avalanches into early week.

Western British Columbia is expected to take the brunt of the rain, with a wide swath of 4 to 8 inches forecast across coastal areas through Tuesday. The Olympic Peninsula and the far northern Cascades are also in line for some of the heaviest rain on the U.S. side, while Seattle is expected to see lighter rain compared to the most favored terrain.