Historic Floods Inundate Western Washington, Trigger Evacuations

Historic flooding triggered by a powerful atmospheric river has inundated western Washington state, prompting evacuations for up to 100,000 residents and widespread closures of roads and highways. The deluge, which began earlier this week and dumped up to 17 inches of rain in some areas, swelled major rivers to record levels, forcing Governor Bob Ferguson to declare a statewide emergency on Wednesday. Federal approval for an emergency declaration followed, enabling additional resources for response efforts.

Rivers across the region, including the Skagit, Snohomish, Cedar, Cowlitz, Yakima and Nooksack, surged well above flood stages, breaking previous records set in 1990 and 2021. The Skagit River near Mount Vernon crested at about 37 feet overnight Thursday, surpassing its prior high by several inches and flooding farmland and communities in Skagit County. In Snohomish County, the Snohomish River peaked near 25.9 feet, while the Cedar River at Renton reached 17.13 feet, its highest on record. The Nooksack River also set a new mark, contributing to overflow that exacerbated flooding in British Columbia's Fraser Valley.

Evacuation orders, particularly Level 3 directives urging...