Residents ordered to evacuate as Skagit River approaches record flood levels,Washington
Residents along the Skagit River in Washington have been ordered to evacuate as the river is forecast to reach 13.55 m (44.47 feet) by late December 11, 2025. Heavy rainfall and rising rivers have led to an emergency declaration across Washington State.
Snohomish County Fire District operatives assisting a stranded driver on a flooded road in West Washington on December 10, 2025. Credit: SNFD #4
Residents along the Skagit River have been asked to evacuate as the river is forecast to reach record flood levels over the next two days.
Heavy rainfall caused by the major landfalling atmospheric river has already caused flooding across parts of the Pacific Northwest.
Washington Governor Bob Ferguson declared a statewide emergency and also activated the National Guard. One hundred National Guard members were deployed statewide, and 200 more are set to arrive by the morning of December 11.
The Skagit River near Concrete is forecast to crest at 13.55 m (44.47 feet) near Concrete by 23:30 PST on December 11. If the river does reach that level, it will be the second-highest crest on record, surpassing the October 2003 record of 12.87 m (42.21 feet). It will then be second only to the record high of 21.12 m (69.3 feet) set in January 1815.
Major flooding is also forecast between Leavenworth and Wenatchee, as the Wenatchee River exceeds 4.57 m (15 feet) for the first time since 2006. The flood warning is in place through the afternoon of December 12.
Minor flooding in the Entiat Valley is expected as the Entiat River exceeds 2.29 m (7.5 feet). The Entiat River has not exceeded 2.44 m (8 feet) since the 1970s. The flood warning in this area is in place through this afternoon.
A flood warning is in place near the Stehekin River, forecast to reach 8 m (26.4 feet), causing minor flooding in nearby areas and roads.
The heavy rainfall will cause dozens of rivers across the Pacific Northwest to rise to and above major flood stages. Rainfall totals of up to 8 cm (3 inches) are forecast across the lowlands, and up to 20 cm (8 inches) is forecast over the Olympics and Cascades.
Paradise at Mt. Rainier had already recorded 8.26 cm (3.25 inches) of rain in just 10 hours by the morning of December 10.
Two rivers and locations to keep a close eye on into December 12, which surround more populated areas, include the Cedar River at Renton and the Snohomish River at Snohomish. Both are forecast to crest into near record heights on December 12, Fox Weather reported.
Amtrak Cascades announced a service disruption due to potential flooding. While all trains south of Seattle are running, trains operating between Seattle and Vancouver, Canada, are suspended on December 11 and 12 due to the level of the Skagit River.
Many areas are already flooded due to another atmospheric river that made landfall earlier this week. Snohomish Regional Fire and Rescue crews have responded to hundreds of water rescues using inflatable kayaks since December 9.
Atmospheric rivers are long, narrow corridors of concentrated water vapor that move through the atmosphere and deliver massive amounts of rain and snow to mid-latitude coasts.
These “rivers in the sky” shape flood seasons in the U.S. West Coast and Europe and are closely monitored because their intensity, duration, and landfall location determine whether they bring beneficial moisture or trigger destructive floods.
Subseasonal outlook issued by the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes (CW3E) and initialized on December 8 shows strong ensemble agreement on above-normal atmospheric river activity across the U.S. West Coast during mid- to late December, with the highest confidence over Northern and Central California.
I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.
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