'Monster' Atmospheric River Will Impact Puget Sound: Forecast

SEATTLE, WA - Up to 3 inches of rain could fall in the coming days as a Pineapple Express storm system hits the West Coast. The National Weather Service in Seattle has also issued a special weather statement for a possible high-wind event on Saturday.

California will bear the brunt of the storm, which rolls in Thursday. But forecasts show Puget Sound might get as much as 3 inches of rain over the next week. Across Puget Sound, forecasts indicate a 100 percent chance of rain on Thursday, and a 90 percent chance on Friday night and Saturday.

"This is really an historic event that is very unusual for this time of the year," University of Washington meteorologist Cliff Mass wrote in a blog post this week.

A special weather statement from the National Weather Service says strong southerly winds could batter the region on Saturday.

"Windy conditions are possible Saturday over much of Western Washington. A deep low pressure center is forecast by most weather models to move north off the coast on Saturday. This will bring strong southerly winds to Washington," the statement reads.

Meanwhile, a winter weather advisory was in effect for the Cascades in Snohomish, Pierce, and King Counties through 10 p.m. Wednesday. Up to 11 inches was forecast to fall in the mountain passes.

Image via National Weather Service