Thousands of Washington residents face evacuation orders as a new wave of heavy rain sweeps into the region, threatening to overwhelm rivers that are already swollen from a previous storm. The Pacific Northwest is bracing for major flooding, with the Skagit River expected to crest at record levels in the town of Concrete early Thursday.
Residents in Mount Vernon, a city of 35,000 people, were ordered to evacuate their homes due to concerns about the Puyallup River's extremely high levels and upstream levees. The historic river levels expected Friday could top the floodwall that protects downtown, with some worried that older levees could fail.
"It's real," said Ellen Gamson, executive director of the Mount Vernon Downtown Association. "The concern about that kind of pressure on the levy and dike system is real. It could potentially be catastrophic."
Meanwhile, a landslide blocked part of Interstate 90 east of Seattle, with trees, branches, mud, and standing water trapping vehicles. The state transportation department said there were no detours available and no estimated time for reopening.
The city of Snohomish issued an emergency proclamation, while workers installed temporary flood control barriers along the White River in Auburn. Authorities knocked on doors to warn residents of imminent flooding in certain neighborhoods and evacuated a mobile home park along the Snohomish River.
Climate change has been linked to some intense rainfall, but scientists say that without specific study they cannot directly link a single weather event to climate change. However, it's responsible for more intense and more frequent extreme storms, droughts, floods, and wildfires.
Another storm system is expected to bring more rain starting Sunday, with the pattern looking "pretty unsettled going up to the holidays," said meteorologist Harrison Rademacher.
As the region braces for the worst, residents are taking precautions. Some business owners were renting tables to place their inventory higher off the floor, while others stacked sandbags and cleared items off the floor. One resident, Jake Lambly, was concerned about damage in his neighborhood and moved valuables to the top floor of his home.
The National Weather Service warned of the possibility of "catastrophic flooding," specifically along the Skagit and Snohomish rivers. The Skagit River is expected to hit record levels, with forecasters predicting that it could crest at roughly 47 feet in Concrete early Thursday.
Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson declared a statewide emergency Wednesday, saying that lives will be at stake in the coming days. He estimated that as many as 100,000 Washington residents may soon face evacuation orders.
The situation is being closely monitored by authorities, who are working to mitigate the impact of the flooding. With another storm system on its way, residents are advised to stay vigilant and follow evacuation orders if issued.
Residents in Mount Vernon, a city of 35,000 people, were ordered to evacuate their homes due to concerns about the Puyallup River's extremely high levels and upstream levees. The historic river levels expected Friday could top the floodwall that protects downtown, with some worried that older levees could fail.
"It's real," said Ellen Gamson, executive director of the Mount Vernon Downtown Association. "The concern about that kind of pressure on the levy and dike system is real. It could potentially be catastrophic."
Meanwhile, a landslide blocked part of Interstate 90 east of Seattle, with trees, branches, mud, and standing water trapping vehicles. The state transportation department said there were no detours available and no estimated time for reopening.
The city of Snohomish issued an emergency proclamation, while workers installed temporary flood control barriers along the White River in Auburn. Authorities knocked on doors to warn residents of imminent flooding in certain neighborhoods and evacuated a mobile home park along the Snohomish River.
Climate change has been linked to some intense rainfall, but scientists say that without specific study they cannot directly link a single weather event to climate change. However, it's responsible for more intense and more frequent extreme storms, droughts, floods, and wildfires.
Another storm system is expected to bring more rain starting Sunday, with the pattern looking "pretty unsettled going up to the holidays," said meteorologist Harrison Rademacher.
As the region braces for the worst, residents are taking precautions. Some business owners were renting tables to place their inventory higher off the floor, while others stacked sandbags and cleared items off the floor. One resident, Jake Lambly, was concerned about damage in his neighborhood and moved valuables to the top floor of his home.
The National Weather Service warned of the possibility of "catastrophic flooding," specifically along the Skagit and Snohomish rivers. The Skagit River is expected to hit record levels, with forecasters predicting that it could crest at roughly 47 feet in Concrete early Thursday.
Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson declared a statewide emergency Wednesday, saying that lives will be at stake in the coming days. He estimated that as many as 100,000 Washington residents may soon face evacuation orders.
The situation is being closely monitored by authorities, who are working to mitigate the impact of the flooding. With another storm system on its way, residents are advised to stay vigilant and follow evacuation orders if issued.
. Flooding is so devastating, you know? It's like, one minute everything is fine, next minute, it's underwater 
. Climate change is really starting to affect us, and we need to take action. I mean, I get that scientists can't directly link a single event to climate change, but still... let's not ignore the signs, right? 
. But seriously, 100k people could be affected? That's crazy! We need to get our act together, you know? We should be preparing for these kinds of events, not just reacting after they happen 
.
. And what about our infrastructure? Those levees are gonna be under a ton of pressure 
.
. One thing's for sure: we need to look out for each other 
.
the rain in washington is getting outta control i feel bad for those people evacuating their homes it's not safe at all gotta protect themselves and their families meanwhile our gov is being super prepared by declaring a statewide emergency that's good to see 
we need to take care of these ppl who are facing this crisis also the fact that climate change is making these storms more intense is really concerning we need to find ways to mitigate its effects 
anyway back to the news - it sounds like climate change is for real and we need to take action ASAP just like how our school is taking steps to reduce waste and carbon emissions let's do this same thing on a larger scale 
.
. Hopefully authorities can do something to mitigate the damage and keep everyone safe 
! Like, I'm all for a good Seattle drizzle, but this is crazy! You gotta feel for the people in Mount Vernon and Concrete who are gonna be dealing with record levels on the Skagit River. It's like they're living in a post-apocalyptic scene from The Walking Dead 
. And don't even get me started on that landslide on I-90 - what if it's not just rain that causes damage? Climate change is no joke, guys 
. I hope everyone stays safe and dry out there (but let's be real, it's probably gonna rain anyway 
️).
so lets hope everyone stays safe and dry this weekend
. Governor Ferguson declaring a statewide emergency and estimating 100k+ evacuations? That's some serious stuff 
. Residents are advised to stay vigilant... yikes 
.
. The Skagit River is gonna hit record levels and I'm worried about the levees failing 
. We need to take care of our environment, climate change is real 
. It's not just one storm, it's a pattern we're seeing more often 
. I feel bad for all those residents who have to deal with this 
.
and all these natural disasters are gettin more intense...i don't know if i could handle evacuating my whole life 
- like sandbags & stuff, hope everyone stays safe! 
