Weather Service warns pineapple express aimed at Whatcom Co. with the fury of a winter storm
A strong storm headed for Western Washington defines the Northwest colloquialism “Juneuary,” forecasters at the National Weather Service in Seattle said.
An entire June’s worth of rain is possible over three days next week in the Whatcom County lowlands, with heavier rainfall in the Cascade Mountains.
About the only difference between June and January next week will be that temperatures will hover in the low 60s, meteorologist Harrison Rademacher said.
“We typically get these storms in the winter. This is very similar to a winter system,” Rademacher told The Bellingham Herald in an interview.
An atmospheric river will drop 1 to 2 inches of rain in the Whatcom County lowlands from Sunday to Tuesday, Rademacher said. Normal June rainfall is 1.61 inches.
Such storms are sometimes called a “pineapple express” because they carry a huge amount of rain from the South Pacific.
“It’s looking like Sunday night into Monday is so far the best chance for the heaviest rain,” Rademacher said.
This storm will be windy, with a gusty southwest breeze about 20 to 25 mph.
Rivers are expected to rise sharply across much of Western Washington next week, and several will approach flood stage, Rademacher said.
But predictions from the Northwest River Forecast Center show the Nooksack River will remain below flood stage at key locations — including Acme, Nugents Corner, Everson and Ferndale.
