Track the Latest Atmospheric River to Hit California

A series of atmospheric rivers are bringing widespread heavy rainfall to California, and the latest was forecasted to arrive Thursday and continue into Friday.

Atmospheric rivers are essentially moisture streams in the sky, which can often be seen from space as narrow bands stretching from the West Coast out across the Atlantic. This one is what’s known as a “pineapple express” because of its origins near Hawaii.

As these long, thin storm systems stretch across the ocean and hit land, they often bring extensive amounts of precipitation in the form of rain and snow. Use the map below to see the latest precipitation forecasts for locations across the West Coast.

As the moisture moves inland, use the map below to track the amount of precipitation that has already fallen.

This storm is warmer than storms of the past few months, and at lower elevations will likely contribute to more rapid snow melt — and an increased risk of flooding.