Washington faces threat of more ‘atmospheric rivers,’ floods

SEATTLE (AP) — A week and a half after damaging floods in Washington state, forecasters are warning that multiple “atmospheric rivers” threaten to once again drench the Pacific Northwest beginning Thanksgiving Day. Atmospheric rivers are huge plumes of moisture extending over the Pacific and into the Northwest. Forecasters say more moisture from the atmospheric rivers is expected to bring up to 3 inches of rain in some areas hit by the recent flooding. Officials from the National Weather Service predict periods of moderate to heavy rain through Wednesday, as the first in a series of systems moving across the region.