With a series of storms headed this way, the Thanksgiving weekend in Western Washington will be typical for this time of year: Wet, blustery and cool.
The first of three "pineapple expresses" will arrive later today, according to the National Weather Service in Seattle. The rain will be heaviest overnight, with some flooding possible on the Nooksack River in Whatcom County, said NWS meteorologist Gary Schneider.
But don't expect anything like the drenching rains and floods that hammered parts of northwestern Washington and British Columbia last week, Schneider said.
"That was obviously a pretty extreme event," he said.
Cities across the Puget Sound region will get between a half-inch and inch of rain, while totals in the mountains will range between 2 and 4 inches. Snow levels will hover between 6,000 and 8,000 feet throughout the weekend, so the mountain passes should remain clear.
Gusty winds are likely, particularly along the coast and around the San Juan Islands. "No big wind storms, but if you're in the right spot, it could be pretty windy," Schneider said.
Rain should decrease on Friday, then resume Saturday when a second system will bring widespread precipitation. The possibility of flooding will increase for rivers in the northern Puget Sound area.
"The next system over the weekend is going to be a little juicier, and the rivers are already going to be running high," Schneider said.
After a relatively dry day Monday, a third system is likely on Tuesday.
