Atmospheric River

 Atmospheric River? What's that? 

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration page 

"Atmospheric rivers are relatively long, narrow regions in the atmosphere – like rivers in the sky – that transport most of the water vapor outside of the tropics. These columns of vapor move with the weather, carrying an amount of water vapor roughly equivalent to the average flow of water at the mouth of the Mississippi River. When the atmospheric rivers make landfall, they often release this water vapor in the form of rain or snow."

So who cares? Well, we were hit with one this past weekend. We saw an insane amount of rain. 

295 millimeters of rain in 2 days.  That's 11 inches of rain. In 2 DAYS!! 

So who cares? Vancouver and Metro Vancouver is known for their rain. True. But the amounts, plus the snow run off the mountains and the rising rivers caused this: 

 our major highway that links western canada to eastern canada. 

our major highway completely washed away 

Another view 

And lastly the map of our current province 

The only way we can get to the rest of Canada is via the US. Every major highway that allows us to exit the lower mainland is closed. No idea when it will reopen. 

This is all following a summer of the highest temperatures we have ever seen on record in our province and city. 

UGH.... our future is doomed. This is just the beginning of what mother nature is doing to us for not taking care of her world.