A looming crisis hits Western Washington as the region braces for what the National Weather Service in Seattle calls catastrophic conditions, driven by a pair of heavy atmospheric rivers delivering relentless rainfall.
Forecasts warn of major floods along 17 rivers as the rainfall persists, with neighboring Northwest Oregon also feeling the impact and multiple river flood warnings in place there as well.
In response, Governor Bob Ferguson declared a statewide emergency, and several counties issued evacuation orders this afternoon for communities at highest risk.
Atmospheric rivers—long, narrow plumes of moisture that transport vast amounts of water from the Pacific—are not new to the West Coast winter landscape. Yet climate scientists warn they will grow stronger, arrive more often, and linger longer as global warming continues.
The National Weather Service expects the peak of rainfall to hit Wednesday night, though some northern Skagit County areas may experience the worst flooding later, possibly Thursday or Friday. Officials warn that flood levels could surpass the record set in 1990, which included two fatalities, more than 2,000 evacuations, and over $100 million in damages, according to a Natural Disaster Survey Report.
Washington’s Emergency Management Division chief, Robert Ezelle, said as many as 75,000 residents in low-lying Skagit County may need to evacuate as early as Wednesday evening. “We anticipate levee overtopping on multiple rivers, not just the Skagit,” Ezelle noted, adding that a flood wall in Arlington could be overtopped.
Emergency responders are closely watching the Skagit River and surrounding communities as reports of flooded streets and evacuations spread. Snohomish and Pierce counties issued evacuation orders, and Skagit County urged evacuations for Rockport, Hamilton, Marblemount, and Concrete.
Officials fear that up to 100,000 Washingtonians could face evacuation orders as the situation evolves. River levels are expected to reach historic highs as early as early morning and persist into Friday.
Governor Ferguson, speaking from the Emergency Operations Center at Camp Murray in Tacoma, pressed for an expedited federal emergency declaration to unlock additional resources that could save lives if approved.
FEMA has been coordinating with state and tribal governments in Washington and Oregon, establishing a Bothell communications hub and moving to 24-hour operations to ensure rapid information flow between federal, state, and tribal agencies. The agency also has two liaisons at the state Emergency Operations Center, with additional teams pre-positioned to deliver lifesaving capabilities in Washington.
The likelihood of federal disaster aid remains uncertain. Earlier this year, the Trump administration denied a major-disaster request after severe weather caused by a bomb cyclone hit western Washington in November 2024, without providing an explanation.
Ferguson emphasized the urgency: the federal government needs to grant the aid to address this crisis.
Climatologists underline that the flooding severity is intensified by back-to-back atmospheric rivers. Washington State Climatologist Guillaume Mauger noted that while this week’s events may not set new rainfall records individually, the consecutive surges have overwhelmed the rivers. He warned that once-in-a-century flood levels on the Skagit could become four times more common by the 2040s.
Experts explain that a warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture, which can translate into heavier precipitation, often falling as rain rather than snow. More rain directly contributes to river levels and flood risk.
According to the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, for each additional degree Celsius of human-caused warming, land-based extreme precipitation is expected to rise by about 7%.
As Washington faces this ongoing flood threat, communities, responders, and leaders are urged to stay vigilant, heed evacuation instructions, and prepare for rapidly changing conditions. The situation remains fluid, with authorities repeatedly stressing that river levels could reach historic thresholds in the coming days.
