“Pineapple Express” storm wallops California

Fallen trees sprawled atop houses and cars in California on Sunday, and roughly half a million people were without power across the state, according to PowerOutage.us. The second of two atmospheric rivers making up what meteorologists term a “Pineapple Express” began hitting the state on Saturday. Another storm struck earlier in the week.

What is a “Pineapple Express?” The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration defines it as a band of atmospheric moisture that builds up in the Southern Pacific Ocean, reaching from Hawaii up to the continental United States. Both atmospheric rivers in California in the past week have met that criteria. The second storm is expected to continue through Tuesday.

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