ARLINGTON, Wash. – A significant flood threat is quickly unfolding as an atmospheric river drops torrential rain onto the Evergreen State.
An atmospheric river is a narrow corridor of concentrated water vapor in the sky, transporting as much as 27 times the amount of water as the Mississippi River and causing downpours.
RIVERS RISING, HOMES FLOODED IN WASHINGTON AS DEADLY ‘PINEAPPLE EXPRESS’ DRENCHES PACIFIC NORTHWEST
The atmospheric river coursing over Western Washington this week is bringing a significant amount of rain. For example, one rain gauge in the Olympic Peninsula measured 8.5 inches of rain within a period of 24 hours.
Such a significant amount of rain is causing rivers and creeks in the area to surge.
The Stillaguamish River, which lies about an hour and a half drive north of Seattle, is at a major flood stage. The river is spilling onto some roadways, causing at least one to be shut down.
According to the National Weather Service, the Stillaguamish River level is over 20 feet as of Tuesday afternoon. In the video below, the river can be seen rushing under the Heller Bridge and rising.
The Stillaguamish River also overflowed into a neighborhood. Below is a still from a video that captures the river rising and pouring into residential area.
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“Neighbor says he loves living on the water in Summer, and this is the not so fun part of it,” said JohnHopperstad, who shared the video on X.
Nearby Arlington also saw tremendous flooding.
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The video below shows a park covered in floodwater as a fallen tree floats downstream.
In the town of Granite Falls, one driver became stuck in floodwater after driving into standing water. The driver had to be rescued and is reported to have no injuries.
Along I-5 in Seattle, workers had to shut down an off-ramp because of standing water. Only about 12 inches of water is enough to carry away a small vehicle.
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Southwest of Seattle, the Skokomish River rose enough to cause part of the road pictured below to disappear.
One factor exacerbating the flood issue is snowmelt.
A warm system that has moved into the area is causing a layer of snowpack measuring 2-4 feet in the mountain ranges around Western Washington to melt and flow into rivers and other waterways.
Officials are advising residents in low-lying areas in flood plains to be prepared to evacuate in case floodwaters threaten their homes.
“Taking the time now to get together all of the important documents,” said Lucia Schmit, director of Snohomish County EMA, to FOX Weather’s Max Gorden.
“So, passports, birth certificates, marriage certificates, all of those things that are really difficult to replace, insurance documents,” she added. “Gather those all together along with food and clothing that you might need to take with you in a hurry and have that ready to go.”
The next 24 hours will continue to be filled with rain for the Pacific Northwest.