Pacific Northwest braces for more heavy rain, schools, roads closed due to flooding
Rescue workers are also working around the clock, attending distress calls from those stranded on the roads and inside their houses due to the flooding.
A property with a mobile home is flooded by the Snoqualmie River, near Fall City, Wash., Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. (Ken Lambert/The Seattle Times via AP)
Residents of Washington, Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest braced for another round of heavy rain on Wednesday after a powerful storm hit the region the day before, swelling rivers, closing roads and prompting high-water rescues.
More rains predicted
By early Wednesday, some areas in the Cascade mountain range in Washington were reporting “impressive” rain rates near or exceeding 1.2 centimetres per hour, the National Weather Service in Seattle posted on X. Paradise on Mount Rainier picked up 8.2 centimetres of rain in 10 hours, it said.
According to The Associated Press, several schools have announced closings and delays due to flooding concerns, while many roads were closed due to mudslides.
The National Water Prediction Service, reported that the worst was still to come. (Photo: AP)
Earlier, on Tuesday, parts of Oregon and Washington were hit by powerful storms, causing power outages, flooding and school closures.
Worst still to come
Washington Governor Bob Ferguson said in a post on X on Tuesday night that the state’s Emergency Operations Center had moved to its highest activation level because of the rain and wind.
AP, quoting the National Water Prediction Service, reported that the worst was still to come, with some major rivers expected to crest later in the week.
These scenes out of Washington are going to continue throughout our Wednesday as Atmospheric River conditions continue.
Numerous flood watches continue to plague the state, with some flooding starting to occur as water levels rise.
According to forecasters, the Skagit River near Concrete, which is northeast of Seattle, was forecast to rise more than 4.6 meters above major flooding levels by Thursday, which would break a record.
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The weather service forecast several days of heavy rainfall along the coast and more than 30 centimetres of new snow in the northern Rockies in northwestern Wyoming. Flood watches were in effect, with scattered flash flooding possible along the coast and into the Cascade Mountains through midweek.
In southeast Alaska, an arctic blast could bring wind chills as low as minus 45.6 Celsius in Skagway and minus 26 Celsius in the capital, Juneau, according to the weather service.
Rescue workers race against time
Rescue workers are also working around the clock, attending distress calls from those stranded on the roads and inside their houses due to the flooding.
According to the Lewis County Fire Protection Department, firefighters conducted five rescues for people who tried to drive on flooded roads along Interstate 5 between Seattle and Portland. Authorities also rescued a family of six from their home in Chehalis after the road to the house was under about 1.2 meters of water.
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The weather service forecast several days of heavy rainfall along the coast and more than 30 centimetres of new snow in the northern Rockies in northwestern Wyoming. (Photo: AP)
Police said deputies went door to door in certain neighbourhoods to warn residents of imminent flooding, and evacuated a mobile home park along the Snohomish River, northeast of Seattle. The city of Snohomish issued an emergency proclamation due to flooding, while in Auburn, south of Seattle, workers installed temporary flood control barriers along the White River.
On the Columbia River, farther south near the Oregon border, the city of Longview said it was opening a severe weather shelter Tuesday night.
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A property with a mobile home is flooded by the Snoqualmie River, near Fall City, Wash., Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. (Ken Lambert/The Seattle Times via AP) 
