Residents in the Pacific Northwest of the US and Canada are bracing for what could be record-setting floods as an atmospheric river dumps heavy rain on already swollen rivers.
The US National Weather Service warns that catastrophic flooding is possible in the states of Oregon and Washington along the Skagit and Snohomish rivers.
In Canada, major highways to Vancouver have been closed because of flooding, debris, and the risk of avalanches.
There are evacuation orders in place for thousands of people in the US and Canada, and authorities have warned that more rain is on the way on Thursday.
In the US, the governor of Washington state, Bob Ferguson, declared a statewide emergency on Wednesday, estimating that 100,000 residents could soon face evacuation orders.
The emergency declaration warns that continued rain and snow at mountain elevations could exacerbate flooding conditions, severely impacting supply chains and transportation.
Skagit County, a major agricultural area north of Seattle, issued an immediate evacuation order to residents who live on the floodplain, with about 75,000 people expected to be evacuated from low-lying areas along the Skagit River.
Across the border in Canada's British Columbia, evacuation orders have also been placed for the communities of Tulameen and Eastgate, along with several other areas, including Abbotsford where urgent evacuations were ordered for 371 properties.
The entire region has received torrential rain from an atmospheric river, a phenomenon where water is carried by the wind and forms long currents in the sky.
While the heaviest rainfall is expected to subside by Thursday afternoon, officials warn that water will still flow into rivers, and another storm is anticipated on Sunday.
