The next atmospheric river will bring heavy rain and mountain snow to parts of the Pacific Northwest. On Thursday, the plume of moisture will begin to shift southward, bringing the highest rain totals to Oregon and northern California through the weekend.

Powerful wind gusts knocked out power to more than 500,000 customers across Washington and Oregon early Wednesday, as the latest atmospheric river intensified over the flood-devastated Pacific Northwest.

Cloudy skies will dominate through midday before rain redevelops in the afternoon. Temperatures are expected to peak near 52 degrees around 4 p.m., though it will feel closer to the mid-40s. Winds will shift to the south-southwest and strengthen, with gusts potentially reaching 33 mph late in the afternoon as fans arrive at the stadium.

The Pacific Northwest is expected to see up to seven inches of rain this week, as the eastern United States braces for arctic cold.

By David Ryder and Steve Gorman BURLINGTON, Washington, Dec 12 (Reuters) - Residents and emergency crews in towns along the rain-engorged Skagit River in western Washington state braced on Friday for potential levee failures while National Guard troops assisted in evacuations after days of severe flooding in the Pacific Northwest.