The Bay Area has seen its share of rain and hail this week, but the forecast is calling for far worse weather to come. A "Pineapple Express," a meteorological phenomenon consisting of an atmospheric river of moisture originating from near the Hawaiian Islands which can bring heavy rain and strong winds, is slated to arrive over Northern California Thursday morning and bring intense weather through Friday.

Projected rain totals are expected to be higher than originally forecasted; the Santa Cruz Mountains should be looking at up to 7.5 inches, low-lying areas up to 2 inches, and the East Bay hills anywhere from 2 to 4 inches. The National Weather Service anticipates the onset Thursday morning along the coast, increasing in intensity and coverage through the day and into the night, with the heaviest rainfall likely Thursday night and rates of up to a half-inch an hour during the most extreme rainfall.

Strong winds are set to arrive with