Rescues from floods staged as atmospheric river soaks Pacific Northwest : NPR
The U.S. Coast Guard rescued five people from flood-stricken areas in the Pacific Northwest, brought on by an atmospheric river, which also disrupted rail links, schools, and roads and broke daily rainfall and temperature records in Washington state. The atmospheric river, sometimes referred to as a “Pineapple Express”, carries warm subtropical moisture across the Pacific from near Hawaii. This weather event saw the small town of Forks, Washington receive more rainfall in 24 hours than Las Vegas has received all year, and weather services issued flood warnings across the western part of the state. The wet conditions also brought unusually warm temperatures to the area, with Walla Walla in southwestern Washington equaling temperatures found in parts of Florida and Mexico.
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