‘Pineapple express’ bringing heavy rain to Cascades

Published 8:21 am Tuesday, March 12, 2013

SEATTLE — The National Weather Service says heavy rain forecast through Wednesday in the Olympics and North Cascades will likely push rivers to flood stage.

Forecasters say a “pineapple express” from the direction of Hawaii is pouring warm moist air into Washington. They expect 4 to 7 inches of rain to fall by Thursday, mostly in the mountains. A flood watch has been issued for rivers on the Olympic Peninsula and for rivers flowing out of the Cascades from King County north. These include the Skokomish, Bogachiel, Tolt, Snoqualmie, and Stillaguamish rivers.

Forecasters say rain and warming temperatures this week also will fill rivers in the Inland Northwest, especially the Idaho Panhandle.