The American Red Cross is preparing and responding to severe weather threats along the U.S. West Coast as atmospheric rivers bringing prodigious rain and flood risk are forecast to continue into the holiday period.

In western Washington, rivers have already overflowed their banks, prompting widespread evacuations and the opening of emergency shelters as part of a coordinated relief effort.

More rain in the coming days is expected to sustain dangerous conditions and heighten the potential for additional flooding, officials said.

Red Cross volunteers and partners have established multiple shelters, providing safe refuge, meals and emergency supplies for affected residents, including accommodations for pets and special needs.

Teams are working with state and local authorities to identify additional locations as needed, and evacuees are encouraged to bring essential personal items and medications.

Local emergency responders have also conducted water rescues and supported residents displaced by fast-rising rivers.

The scale of the response reflects both the severity of the current atmospheric river event and the organisation’s broader readiness to act as extreme weather patterns increasingly threaten population centres.

Volunteers have been deployed from neighbouring regions to bolster on-the-ground operations and sustain response efforts throughout the evolving emergency.

The American Red Cross emphasises preparedness, urging communities in the path of heavy rainfall to monitor conditions through its Emergency App and local alerts, and to make use of available shelters and support services.

With rivers forecast to remain high and further rain expected into the holiday season, relief workers are poised to extend their support for as long as necessary to keep people safe and meet urgent needs.