Arctic air sweeps south as residents of the Pacific Northwest remain on guard after severe flooding

"As they moved their two donkeys to higher ground and their eight goats to their outdoor kitchen, the water began to rise much quicker than anything they had experienced before. As the water engulfed their home Thursday afternoon, deputies from the King County Sheriff's Office marine rescue dive unit were able to rescue them and their dog, taking them on a boat the half-mile (800 meters) across their field, which had been transformed into a lake. The rescue was captured on video."

"Bottom line at this point in time is we're not done despite the sunny conditions that we have across western Washington at this point, said Reid Wolcott, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Seattle. There is yet more still to come in terms of in terms of wind, in terms of rain, in terms in terms of flooding, he said. And Washingtonians need to be prepared for additional impacts, additional flooding, tree damage, power outages, etc."

Arctic air from Canada swept south and spread into parts of the northern U.S., while the Pacific Northwest prepared for potential mudslides and levee failures as floodwaters receded slowly. Catastrophic flooding forced thousands to evacuate in Washington state. A farm near the Snoqualmie River saw rapidly rising water that inundated a home; local deputies from the King County Sheriff's Office marine rescue dive unit rescued residents and their dog by boat across a field transformed into a lake. Forecasters warn of more rain and high winds, saturated ground increasing tree-toppling risk, and officials expect challenging, costly cleanup and ongoing impacts.

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