Washington State Declares Emergency Amid Severe Flooding and Mudslides
Washington governor Bob Ferguson declared a statewide emergency on Wednesday due to heavy rain causing mudslides, washed-out roads, and submerged vehicles. Approximately 100,000 residents in western Washington, primarily in rural Skagit County, were placed under Level 3 evacuation orders. Skagit County emergency chief Julie de Losada estimated that around 3,800 evacuees would require temporary shelter.
The worst flooding impacted the Skagit, Snohomish, and Puyallup rivers. More than 30 highways and numerous smaller roads were closed, and several segments of the BNSF Railway were either washed out or closed. Rainfall totals ranged from 10 to 17 inches in many areas, resulting in rivers cresting several feet above record levels and not receding by Friday morning.
The storm system responsible is classified as an atmospheric river, with meteorologists warning that such storms may become more frequent and intense due to ongoing climate change. In British Columbia, five of six highways leading to Vancouver were closed because of floods, falling rocks, and avalanche risks, further constraining access to Vancouver via limited highway and rail routes across the Rockies.
The weather forecast calls for lighter rain on Friday, a mostly dry Saturday, and a return of heavy rain on Sunday.
