Western Washington braced for what the National Weather Service in Seattle called “catastrophic” conditions Wednesday as an atmospheric river drenched the state.

Rusting rivers and huge rainfall have complicated pollution control at Northwest Alaska’s massive zinc mine.

A Grand Arctic Resort guide fell through river ice with a snowmobile on the Kalix River near a bridge in Överkalix while grooming winter trails. He got wet but climbed out uninjured; the snowmobile and sled sank and were to be salvaged the next day.