California atmospheric river events

Very heavy rain and snow impacted the Pacific Northwest and northern California over the weekend and the atmospheric river activity aimed toward the West Coast isn't going anywhere these next several days.

It's called the Pineapple Express due to its point of origin out of the tropical Pacific. Plentiful moisture is siphoned northward thanks to low-pressure systems moving into the West Coast. These rivers of rain, or atmospheric rivers, can carry 15 times more water vapor than exits the mouth of the Mississippi! They provide the rain and snowpack that the western U.S. needs through its dry season.

Heavy rain and snow certainly left their mark in Belden, Calif., over the weekend and more activity is on the way. The WeatherRadar shows more wet and snowy weather through the end of the week and forecast guidance shows a break on the way this coming weekend. When it comes to snow, several feet are in the forecast - like across the higher elevations of the northern Sierra.

If you've been staying up to date with the situation on the app, you will have seen heavy rain and winter weather alerts popping up on the home screen, just as pictured above. Check to make sure your alerts are switched on.