Pineapple Express storm to hit San Diego County on Halloween night – San Diego Union-Tribune

A fast-moving storm will move ashore Halloween night and intensify before dawn Sunday, dropping up to 0.8 inches of rain in some coastal cities in San Diego County and an inch or more in inland valleys and foothills, the National Weather Service says.

The system – known as the Pineapple Express because it forms in the tropical Pacific – will begin producing significant rain early Saturday evening, at the height of the candy hunt. It will become stronger around 1 a.m. Sunday and will largely disappear by mid-morning. Saturday night temperatures will be in the low to mid 60s.

Forecasters say coastal rains will be heaviest from southern San Diego to the border. Winds will be relatively light, but there is an external risk of thunderstorms which could produce isolated strong gusts.

The storm could push San Diego’s October rainfall totals above 2 inches. The city averages about half an inch in October.