WA officials address flooding as slides and road closures remain
Gov. Ferguson visits Mount Vernon flood wall amid statewide flooding response
Gov. Bob Ferguson and state officials toured Mount Vernon’s floodwall on Saturday before briefing the media on Washington’s ongoing flood response and coordination with federal authorities.
An atmospheric river drenched western Washington this week, causing record-high river flooding and prompting evacuations throughout the region. Governor Bob Ferguson has reported that more than 250 people were rescued from flooding across the state this week.
A new live blog has been published and will continue to be updated throughout the day. To stay updated on developments for Monday, Dec. 15, click here.
While most rivers hit peak levels on Thursday, the damage left by the worst of the flooding continues to impact communities, with lingering road closures and other weather impacts a possibility.
3:30 p.m. School delays announced
Several schools in the northern Puget Sound region have announced delays for students will be in effect on Monday, Dec. 15.
- Concrete School District: 2-hour delay, no out-of-district transportation or after-school activities.
- Sedro-Woolley School District: 2-hour delay, no morning preschool, and no out-of-district transportation.
- Burlington-Edison Public Schools: 2-hour delay, no morning preschool.
A full list is updated on the FOX 13 school closures and delays for Seattle and western WA page.
12:00 p.m. Snohomish bridge reopened following safety checks
The Snohomish Police Department announced at noon on Dec. 14 that the Avenue D bridge was checked and cleared by engineers on Sunday morning to fully reopen. "Thank you all for your patience — your safety is our number 1 priority," read a post, in part, from the police department on Sunday afternoon.
The bridge takes drivers over the Snohomish River, which saw record flooding last week during a historic atmospheric river flooding event. By Thursday, the water levels were more than two feet up the flood wall, according to the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office.
Avenue D bridge reopens (Source: Snohomish Police Department)
9:00 a.m. on Dec. 14: Skagit Co. updates emergency planning operations
The Skagit County Joint Information Center released a statement on current protocols heading into another atmospheric river arriving in the region on Sunday night into next week.
Officials in the county report over 300 National Guard members are deployed in Skagit and that this staffing will remain consistent through the beginning of the workweek.
Flooding in the county's rivers will rise Sunday as water is released from area dams to make room for more rain hitting the mountains. This, along with the rain event, is expected to keep river levels at moderate to major flood levels through the end of next week, according to the SCJIC.
Another atmospheric river is forecasted to move in by early next week, which will bring more heavy widespread rain and gusty winds. (FOX 13 Seattle)
7:00 p.m.: Auburn evacuation notices in effect
The City of Auburn issued a Level 3 ("Go Now") evacuation notice for several residents at Pike Street Northeast and Pike Place Northeast due to stormwater and continued flooding in the area from the Green River.
Residents with water in their homes in the impacted area at time of notice were urged to leave immediately. More information from the city can be found here.
A Level 2 ("Get Set") notice was sent out to residents and owners of businesses along South 277th Street due to flooding and rising levels of water.
4:30 p.m.: Snohomish County road closures in effect
Marsh Road and Lowell Larimer Road are closed as law enforcement continue to assess damages to infrastructure due to flooding.
"These areas are closed for a reason and are not accessible to the public. Anyone who goes beyond these closures may be subject to arrest. These restrictions are in place to protect public safety," said the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office in a post to Facebook on Saturday afternoon.
11:45 a.m.: Governor Ferguson, Senator Patty Murray and Senator Maria Cantwell update the public on progress
On Saturday morning, elected Washington officials gathered at the Skagit County flood wall for a press conference on updates to response efforts as well as incoming forecasts. While the week of rain appears to be over for now, another smaller atmospheric river is on the horizon for next week.
"We are not done. We are not out of the woods with this. We are about halfway through," said a NOAA forecaster on Saturday. Support staff from Salt Lake City and San Francisco is coming to western Washington to assist the ongoing and fluid conditions of increased rain on already strained infrastructure.
Another 4–7 inches of rainfall is predicted to fall in the mountains in the coming days. "There is not a lot of space up there for additional rainfall" the NOAA officials said. If forecasts are on the higher end, overwhelmed dams and swelling rivers could again hit levels that head into major flood stage. However, most likely predictions would keep rivers at the moderate flood stage, according to NOAA.
Gov. Ferguson, Sen. Murray, Sen. Cantwell, Burlington Mayor Peter Donovan and Sheriff Willard join other weather officials and leaders in Washington to provide an update to the public at a press conference on Dec. 13, 2025.
FEMA funding requests could be months away, according to Senator Patty Murray. The emergency declaration from the Trump administration approved on Friday helps with immediate needs for things like shelters for residents and help clearing roads from FEMA partners. Stabilizing Highway 2 and Highway 12 is a top priority, along with National Guard coordinations to assist residents in flooding zones, Sen. Murray said on Saturday.
With likely less rain, one complicating issue is an increase in the winds forecast for the area. With trees still underwater, and loose soil from flooding and rainfall, it would not take much for trees to fall and power to go out for communities in western Washington, according to NOAA.
10:40 a.m.: Stehekin Valley residents ordered to evacuated
Residents in the Stehekin Valley have been ordered to evacuate ahead of continued incoming storm systems. Chelan County Emergency Management announced the evacuation Saturday morning, citing heavy rain in the forecast for Monday.
"Slide areas may slide again, and creeks and drainages are expected to rise. It is recommended for those who have access to Purple Point take the 1:30 ferry today or Sunday," said Chelan County officials.
8:00 a.m.: Leavenworth ‘Christmastown’ event canceled due to WA flood damage
Historic flooding in the region, a widespread power outage and road closures have led to Leavenworth's Christmastown festival being canceled this weekend.
An ongoing power outage is impacting more than 3,000 Chelan County residents, many within city limits, with downed trees and power lines reported throughout neighborhoods. Authorities stated that restoring power, especially to critical medical resources, is the top priority.
(Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket via Getty Images)
7:00 a.m.: Stehekin wakes up to substantial flood damage
Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison surveyed the damage in Stehekin, which authorities say was "substantial" due to mud and debris slides caused by flooding.
The sheriff's office says Stehekin Valley Rd is blocked by debris, and several locations around the valley are without power. Stehekin's water treatment facility was destroyed by flooding, as well.
Authorities sent an alert to residents warning that drinking water may become limited, and the sheriff's office has 7–10 days' worth of bottled water on the way.
Authorities say there are isolated groups of people unable to travel up and down the valley, but they are "equipped to stay for a long period of time."
There is no estimated time for when roads and power will be restored.
6:00 a.m. on Dec. 13: Area rivers forecast to recede, weather drying out through Saturday
Washington's rivers continued to decrease Friday evening, but the FOX 13 Weather Team says many remain above "major" flood stage. Four different river locations reached record levels during this event.
We'll see drier skies into Saturday, which will allow the rivers to slowly decrease. We will see a weak system move through Sunday, but heavier rain returns Monday into Tuesday. Wind and heavier rain will ramp up into next week.
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The Source: Information in this story came from the websites and social media pages of various agencies and emergency management departments around western Washington, and FOX 13 Seattle reporting.