SEATTLE — Record warm temperatures were set in multiple spots around western Washington on Sunday as warm air ushered in by an atmospheric river lingered across the region, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).
Olympia set a record high temperature of 63, SeaTac of 61, Quilayute at balmy 65, Hoquiam at 59 and Bellingham at 62.
More temperature records are expected to be broken on Monday, which is expected to be the warmest day this week, with high temperatures reaching the low to mid-60s, with lows around 50 degrees.
More typical average temperatures for this region include high temperatures in the high 40s with low temperatures in the 30s, meaning current temps are over 10 degrees higher than normal in many areas.
Tuesday is expected to be another mild day, with highs in the upper 50s to near 60 degrees.
High temperatures are expected to return to around normal on Thursday at around 50 degrees, with lows in the low 40s. Temps will cool into the weekend with highs in the mid-40s and lows in the low to mid-30s, according to the NWS. Lows could drop below freezing beginning on Sunday and lasting into early next week.
A particular type of atmospheric river referred to as a Pineapple Express, can usher in warmer temperatures as winds cross over "warm bands of tropical water vapor" to form a "river" that travels across the Pacific Ocean to dump moisture on the West Coast, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
When the "river" of water vapor reaches the West Coast, the Pineapple Express can dump as much as five inches of rain in one day.
