Rivers are surging around the state amid days of heavy rainfall

Bill Lucia and Jerry Cornfield
Washington State Standard

As floodwaters swelled around Washington, threatening low-lying communities along rivers, Gov. Bob Ferguson signed a statewide emergency declaration on Wednesday.

See Grok’s analysis of this story

Ferguson said he’d also seek an expedited emergency declaration from the federal government in response to the flooding, which is the result of an atmospheric river that has dumped multiple inches of rain in parts of the state since Monday. 

A National Weather Service forecast for Wednesday morning through Thursday afternoon showed 6 to 8 inches of rain in communities on the western edge of the Cascades, like Concrete, Gold Bar and Darrington. Even more rain was forecast at higher elevations.

“Lives will be at stake in the coming days,” Ferguson said, urging people to follow evacuation orders. 

Ferguson also activated the Washington National Guard through Dec. 31. Adjutant General Gent Welsh said there’d be 100 National Guard members deployed immediately and more than 300 by the end of the day tomorrow, including aviators and rescue specialists.

National Guard members will be positioned tonight near Skagit County, according to Karina Shagren, a spokesperson for the Washington Military Department.

Robert Ezelle, director of the Washington Military Department’s Emergency Management Division, emphasized the deluge was “far from done” and warned that next week could bring more wet weather.

Rivers from around the Canadian border down to southwest Washington are at moderate to major flood stage, with water levels expected to remain high through the end of the week. Officials expect a number of rivers to reach or exceed record flood levels.

A chief concern is the Skagit River, where Ezelle said current flood levels are expected to surpass a 1990 record by about 4 feet upriver.

County officials are preparing to evacuate about 75,000 people from low-lying areas in that region, according to Ezelle.

He said levees on the Skagit and other rivers could be overtopped, as well as a floodwall in Arlington.

The emergency declaration will give the state the chance to seek federal funds in response to the flooding. Ferguson described the federal declaration as critical and said it would help to unlock potentially life-saving resources for the state.

A slew of major routes and local roads are experiencing closures.

A 50-mile stretch of Highway 2 is closed between Index and Coles Corner, west of Leavenworth, due to heavy rain causing slides and flooding of the highway. As of 2 p.m., state transportation officials had no estimate on when the major east-west route would reopen.

“This is historic flooding,” Ferguson said.

This report was first published by the Washington State Standard.

Under the Grok Lens

Analysis created with Grok

This independent analysis was created with Grok, an AI model from xAI. It is not written or edited by ClarkCountyToday.com and is provided to help readers evaluate the article’s sourcing and context.

Quick summary

Gov. Bob Ferguson declared a statewide emergency on December 10, 2025, in response to historic flooding caused by an atmospheric river, with rivers expected to reach or exceed record levels and prompting evacuations in areas such as Skagit County. The declaration activates the Washington National Guard, closes major highways, and allows the state to request federal assistance and funding.

What Grok notices

• Conveys the severity of the situation with specific river‑level forecasts and evacuation figures, helping readers gauge the scale of the flooding.
• Includes direct quotes from Gov. Ferguson and emergency officials that describe immediate risks, recommended precautions, and priorities for response.
• Notes key response actions such as National Guard activation and major road closures, including Highway 2, giving practical information for affected residents.
• Reflects a state‑level emergency‑management perspective focused on life safety, resource deployment, and coordination with federal partners.
• Does not provide early damage‑cost estimates or detailed county‑by‑county impact summaries; readers may wish to follow local reports and assessment updates for that information.

Questions worth asking

• How do current river‑crest forecasts compare with past record floods in the Skagit, Snohomish, and other affected river basins?
• What levee, floodwall, or overflow‑channel improvements have been made since previous major flooding events, and how are they performing in this storm?
• How might prolonged high water levels affect groundwater, wells, and septic systems in low‑lying rural communities?
• What share of federal aid is expected to support long‑term mitigation and rebuilding versus immediate emergency response and temporary housing?
• How are tribal governments and reservation communities coordinating evacuations, sandbagging efforts, and post‑flood recovery with state agencies?

Research this topic more

• Washington Emergency Management Division – statewide alerts, situation reports, and resource information
• National Weather Service, Seattle – river forecasts, rainfall totals, and flood warnings
• Washington State Department of Transportation – highway closure updates and detour routes
• FEMA Region 10 – information on federal disaster declarations and assistance programs