Overview
A 7,000-mile-long atmospheric river has parked over the Pacific Northwest, dumping days of warm rain onto already saturated ground. Rivers from Yakima to the Skagit are surging toward or past record crests, forcing water rescues, cutting off highways, and pushing tens of thousands of people toward higher ground.
Washington’s new governor, Bob Ferguson, has declared a statewide emergency, activated the National Guard, and asked the White House for fast-tracked federal help as forecasters warn of “historic” and potentially “catastrophic” flooding in key basins like the Skagit and Snohomish. What happens in the next 72 hours will determine whether this is a bad flood season—or the benchmark disaster the region spends the next decade rebuilding from.
Key Indicators
People Involved
Organizations Involved
Washington’s state government is coordinating evacuations, National Guard deployments, and requests for federal aid.
The division is the state’s 24/7 hub for warning, coordination, and disaster support.
The Guard is sending troops and equipment to reinforce levees, assist evacuations, and support local responders.
The office is tracking the atmospheric river and warning communities about record river crests and landslide risk.
Timeline
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Rivers approach record crest as rain continues and more storms loom
WeatherThe atmospheric river keeps dumping rain; forecasters warn floodwaters will stay high for days and another storm system could arrive by Sunday, prolonging the crisis.
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‘Go now’ orders and road closures spread across western Washington
ImpactCounties issue immediate evacuation orders in places like Orting, close stretches of Highway 2 and other major routes as mudslides and rising rivers cut off communities.
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Mount Vernon braces as Skagit forecast shatters records
Local responseAP/OPB report Skagit River is expected to crest around 47 feet at Concrete and 41 feet at Mount Vernon—“record‑setting forecasts by several feet”—as Mayor Peter Donovan warns of a worst‑case scenario.
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Skagit County prepares mass evacuations for record crest
EvacuationOfficials warn the Skagit could crest 3–5 feet above 1990 records, tell roughly 75,000 residents in low‑lying areas to be ready to evacuate, and recommend upriver communities move to high ground.
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Washington governor declares statewide emergency
EmergencyGovernor Bob Ferguson proclaims a statewide flooding emergency, activates the National Guard, and announces he will seek an expedited federal disaster declaration.
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Snohomish and Skagit counties declare local flood emergencies
EmergencySnohomish County issues an emergency proclamation as rivers rise, while Skagit County warns of near‑record flooding and urges floodplain residents to prepare for evacuation.
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Heavy rain triggers first rescues and local emergencies
ImpactAfter 5–10 inches of rain in parts of western Washington, rescuers pull residents from flooded areas near Yakima, Naches, Chehalis and along I‑5; multiple rivers hit major flood stage.
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Forecasters flag unusually long, intense atmospheric river
WeatherMeteorologists warn a 7,000‑mile atmospheric river could bring record December moisture and widespread flooding to Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and British Columbia.
Scenarios
FEMA Declares Major Disaster as Skagit and Snohomish Crest Above Records
Discussed by: Associated Press, Washington State Standard, local emergency officials
In this scenario, river crests meet or exceed current forecasts, pushing water over levees in parts of the Skagit and Snohomish basins and inflicting billions in damage on homes, farms, and infrastructure. The scale of loss and the governor’s request prompt a swift major-disaster declaration from the White House, unlocking long-term federal recovery money for buyouts, levee work, and rebuilding—cementing December 2025 as a defining flood in Northwest memory.
Back-to-Back Atmospheric Rivers Turn December Into a Multi-Week Flood Siege
Discussed by: National Weather Service forecasters, Washington Post weather analysts
Here, the current atmospheric river is followed by another strong system later in December, hitting saturated basins before rivers fully recede. Emergency managers face rotating crises as different watersheds spike in succession, stretching the Guard, stranding communities for longer, and increasing the odds of levee failures and large landslides. The story shifts from a single extreme event to a rolling climate-era siege that tests the limits of Washington’s flood-control infrastructure.
2025 Floods Spark Major Northwest Push for Climate and Flood Resilience
Discussed by: Climate scientists, regional think tanks, some state and local officials
If this flood becomes politically emblematic—like 1996 in Oregon or 2021 in British Columbia—it could galvanize a broad rethink of where and how the region builds. Lawmakers might channel federal and state dollars into buyouts in repeatedly flooded areas, dike and levee redesign, upstream storage projects, and stricter zoning in river plains, while tying it explicitly to climate‑driven increases in atmospheric rivers. The risk is that attention fades once waters recede and other issues dominate.
Historical Context
1996 Pacific Northwest Floods
February 1996What Happened
A combination of heavy rain and warm temperatures melting mountain snowpacks triggered widespread flooding across Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. Major rivers, including stretches of the Columbia and tributaries near Puget Sound, overflowed, causing hundreds of millions of dollars in damage and federal disaster declarations.
Outcome
Short term: Communities spent months repairing washed‑out roads, damaged homes, and critical infrastructure.
Long term: The event spurred upgrades to flood-control works and remains a benchmark for regional flood planning.
Why It's Relevant
1996 shows how warm, rain‑on‑snow events can suddenly supercharge Northwest rivers—exactly the fear with today’s warm atmospheric river.
2021 Pacific Northwest and British Columbia Floods
November–December 2021What Happened
Successive atmospheric rivers pounded southern British Columbia and northwest Washington, breaching dikes, refilling Abbotsford’s former Sumas Lake, cutting off Vancouver from the rest of Canada, and forcing mass evacuations on both sides of the border.
Outcome
Short term: Transport corridors and supply chains were disrupted for weeks, and thousands of homes and farms were damaged.
Long term: The disaster triggered multi‑billion‑dollar resilience plans in B.C. and renewed debate over cross‑border flood management.
Why It's Relevant
The 2021 floods are the clearest recent example of what a worst‑case atmospheric river can do to this region’s infrastructure and agriculture.
2023 Pacific Northwest Atmospheric River Floods
December 2023What Happened
An atmospheric river brought record‑breaking rain and unseasonably warm temperatures to Washington and Oregon, killing at least two people and flooding roads and low‑lying communities, though impacts stayed below the devastation of 1996 or 2021.
Outcome
Short term: Localized damage and fatalities underscored the dangers of warm, rain‑heavy storms in early winter.
Long term: The event added to a pattern of frequent, intense atmospheric rivers hitting the Northwest within a few years.
Why It's Relevant
2023’s floods, followed so soon by 2025, highlight a trend toward more frequent high‑end atmospheric river events in a warming climate.