Particle.news
Download on the App Store
72 ARTICLES
·
4w ago

Washington Orders Mass Evacuations as Skagit and Snohomish Rivers Hit Record Crests

Forecasters say river flooding will continue for days despite a lull in the rain.

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.
Motorists drive over a flooded road in Northern Bellingham in Wash., Wednesday, Dec. 10.
A vehicle drivesthrough flood waters from the Snohomish River in Snohomish, Washington, on Dec. 11. Photo: Jason Redmond / AFP via Getty Images
Rescue personnel evacuate Ivan Alvarez and Fabiola Alvarez, who were stranded in their home in an area flooded by the Snohomish River, in Snohomish, Washington, on Thursday.

Overview

  • Level 3 evacuation orders cover the Skagit River 100‑year floodplain with officials warning as many as 100,000 residents could face orders across western Washington.
  • The Snohomish River rose nearly a foot above its previous record and the Skagit reached or exceeded record levels from Sedro‑Woolley to Mount Vernon.
  • More than 300 National Guard members and specialized water‑rescue teams are assisting as helicopters pulled families from rooftops in Whatcom County.
  • Dozens of roads, including parts of I‑90 and U.S. 2, are shut by slides and floodwaters, BNSF rail segments and Amtrak’s Seattle‑Vancouver service are disrupted, and tens of thousands lost power at points.
  • British Columbia reported highway closures that severed access between the Lower Mainland and the Interior, with Abbotsford and nearby areas under alerts tied to Nooksack River overflow; no deaths have been confirmed.