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Stalling Atmospheric River Keeps Flood and Avalanche Threat High in Washington and Coastal B.C.

Forecasters warn rising freezing levels are driving rain-on-snow runoff that will push some rivers toward flood stage through Friday.

Overview

  • Flood Watches remain in effect across western Washington, including the Seattle area, with several rivers forecast to peak Wednesday and some reaching moderate flood stages; a Flood Warning is posted for the Snoqualmie River near the falls.
  • Avalanche danger is high on the western slopes of the Cascades, and Avalanche Canada urges people to avoid avalanche terrain as warm rain rapidly weakens the snowpack.
  • Environment Canada continues rainfall warnings for Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, Howe Sound, and west and inland Vancouver Island, with the heaviest rain expected Thursday night into Friday.
  • The B.C. River Forecast Centre has high streamflow advisories across much of Vancouver Island and a Flood Watch on the Central Coast, as gauges respond to days of heavy rain with reported totals up to 279 mm since Sunday in the Rivers Inlet area.
  • Forecasts call for 3 to 5 inches of rain across coastal Washington by Friday, with 5 to 8 inches in higher terrain and 5 to 10 inches on the Olympics and North Cascades, following earlier impacts that included more than 87,000 power outages and one death in Washington.