OF THE
TIMES

"However, because the findings project that the atmospheric rivers will be, on average, about 25 percent wider and longer, the global frequency of atmospheric river conditions - like heavy rain and strong winds - will actually increase by about 50 percent." Atmospheric rivers are long, narrow jets of air that carry huge amounts of water vapor from the tropics to Earth's continents and polar regions.See also:
[...]
These "rivers in the sky" typically range from 250 to 375 miles (400 to 600 kilometers) wide and carry as much water - in the form of water vapor - as about 25 Mississippi Rivers. When an atmospheric river makes landfall, particularly against mountainous terrain (such as the Sierra Nevada and the Andes), it releases much of that water vapor in the form of rain or snow.
Comment: In the past few weeks, the Puget Sound area in Washington has also seen a surge in the appearance of noctilucent clouds:
June 12: 'Rare' noctilucent clouds dazzle Seattle, Washington
June 18: 'Rare' noctilucent cloud drifts over Puget Sound, Washington