Feb 22, 2012; 8:55 AM ET
Rain will soak coastal areas from Portland to Seattle and Vancouver into the middle of the week. Late in the week, snow could reach the sea level cities in the Northwest. (Barry Gregg/Photos.com)
A series of storms will bring heavy rain and mountain snow to part of the Northwest into the middle of the week, raising the risk of avalanches, landslides and flash flooding.
The storms will focus from just north of the Columbia River, northward to central British Columbia. Rain will drench areas from Seattle and Bellingham in Washington to Victoria, Vancouver and Port McNeill in British Columbia.
Up to several inches (100 millimeters) of rain can fall in this area into the middle of the week. Enough rain can fall in isolated areas to cause flash and urban flooding.
Heavy snow will fall on the Washington Cascades and the Coast Ranges in British Columbia, starting near 4,500 feet. Above this level, up to a couple of feet (60 centimeters) of snow may fall through Wednesday.
The snow will be above most pass levels, but the erosion of warm air combined with gusty winds can lead to landslides at low elevations and avalanches above 4,000 feet
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The snow becomes very soft and unstable in these conditions.
Three people were killed this weekend in Washington by an avalanche. Fog may shroud the passes for a time.
The bulk of the rain and snow will hit from Tuesday into early Wednesday and can slow travel along The 5.
During the middle of the week, a batch of heavy snow will drive southward over the Rockies from British Columbia, Montana and Idaho to Utah and Colorado
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This coming weekend it is possible enough cold air pushes toward the coast to allow for the chance of snow down to sea level in Oregon, Washington and British Columbia.
This story was originally published at 9:00 a.m. PST, Monday, February 20, 2012
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