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3w ago

Washington Faces Record Flooding as Rivers Crest, Forcing Mass Evacuations

Record river crests are straining levees in the Skagit Valley, with a new storm forecast Sunday.

A driver manages to drive through flood waters from the Snohomish River in Snohomish, Washington, on December 11, 2025. Tens of thousands of people were under evacuation orders Thursday in western North America, after days of heavy rain forced rivers to burst their banks. Storms have battered Washington state in the US and British Columbia over the Canadian border for several days, with rivers continuing to rise. (Photo by Jason Redmond / AFP via Getty Images)
Brandon Phasith carries belongings while evacuating amid rising floodwater as an atmospheric river brings rain and flooding to the Pacific Northwest, in Sultan, Washington, on Dec. 10, 2025.
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Motorists drive over a flooded road in Northern Bellingham in Wash., Wednesday, Dec. 10.

Overview

  • Gov. Bob Ferguson declared a statewide emergency, mobilized the National Guard and warned that up to 100,000 residents could face evacuation orders.
  • The Skagit River set a new high in Mount Vernon after the Snohomish River broke its record, with major flood warnings extending into Saturday despite a brief lull in rain.
  • Skagit County ordered everyone in the 100‑year floodplain to leave—about 78,000 residents—as officials conducted door‑to‑door notifications and the Red Cross opened shelters.
  • Rescuers pulled families from rooftops in Sumas and other communities, and erosion sent at least two houses into the Nooksack River, with authorities reporting no fatalities so far.
  • Flooding and landslides cut key transport links, including parts of I‑90, U.S. 2 and SR 410, while Amtrak suspended Seattle–Vancouver service and BNSF reported washed‑out segments.