Key Takeaways:
- Over 78,000 people in Western Washington were told to evacuate due to flooding caused by the Skagit River, which was expected to rise to record levels.
- The river ultimately crested at 37.7 feet, just shy of the predicted 40 feet, and did not breach the flood walls or levees in Mount Vernon.
- Despite the flooding, no deaths were reported, and the worst of the flood seemed to have passed by Friday.
- Emergency workers rescued people trapped in their homes and vehicles, and many roads and highways were washed out or closed.
- A second, less severe atmospheric river is expected to arrive late Sunday into Monday, which may cause Washington rivers to rise again.
Introduction to the Flood
The sun set on Thursday over the soggy and worried people of Western Washington as the fast-running Skagit River, full of sediment and debris, swelled. More than 78,000 people throughout the flood plain, including the low-lying communities of Mount Vernon and Burlington, had been told to evacuate. Some left for high ground, calling on friends and family, while others struck out for a Red Cross shelter. Some took their chances and hunkered down, wondering whether their world would be the same when they awoke. The most dire predictions showed that the river might rise higher than 40 feet, enough to run over the top of Mount Vernon’s floodwall and stress the area’s levees like never before, authorities warned.
Preparing for the Atmospheric River
Heading into the week, forecasters warned of a major storm system that would remain over the Pacific Northwest for days, dumping inches upon inches of rain. Early signs of flooding arose across the region, with pooling water, stranded vehicles, and even some trapped people. Meteorologists and climatologists wondered whether any of the precipitation would arrive as snowpack, a sore sight for a drought-parched state. Quickly, however, attention turned to the rising levels of the Skagit and Snohomish rivers, among many of the region’s other waterways. Crews in Mount Vernon began putting a series of metal slats along their downtown stretch abutting the Skagit, which had guarded off the swollen river in 2021 and would be relied upon once more.
A Rising Tide
By the middle of the week, local and state officials prepared for as many as 100,000 people who might need to flee rising waters. Levees along the river are designed for floods so severe they can be expected every 25 years or so, but this one was projected to be much worse. Most expected a flood so strong, the likes of it would only be seen once a century. Gov. Bob Ferguson headlined a news conference Thursday morning with other emergency managers and public officials, warning of the danger ahead and asking people to stay away from the floodplains. Early projections showed the river would likely crest around 40 feet in Mount Vernon, a level that would have sent water pouring over the top of the city’s flood walls. Engineers worried the levees might not hold, and already, they were seeping water in some places.
The Human Element
The human element remained a challenge, as many left town, but others stayed, some even walking along the tops of the very levees that might have failed. Police and fire crews marched door to door, urging more residents to evacuate, offering all the information they could in English and Spanish. County officials said they anticipated nearly 4,000 people might have no place else to go, and the Red Cross established several shelters. Near Concrete upriver, the Skagit crested at just over 41 feet that morning, and the pulse of water was expected to flow to Mount Vernon within 24 hours. By the time the governor wrapped up the news conference, the muddy and debris-filled river lapped at the city’s flood walls, and in some places, water gushed in from under the slats.
The High-Water Mark
Around 1 a.m., the Skagit rose to a record 37.7 feet in Mount Vernon, just over the previous high-water mark of 37.4 feet, set in 1990, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. While the flood did set a record, the waters fell shy of the worst-case scenario that emergency officials warned. Some seepage continued through the levees and flood walls, but both held fast. Mount Vernon spokesperson Candy Galindo confirmed that while some areas and roadways have been inundated, there had not been any major flooding in the city. Precisely why the river’s crest fell shorter than expected is difficult to say so soon after the flood, said Steve King, a hydrologist in charge at the federal Northwest River Forecast Center.
Personal Stories of the Flood
In Burlington, Monica Mendez, 40, woke up to a call from her 17-year-old son around 4 a.m. Friday saying, "Hey! There’s water inside!" Her family and many others around her decided to stay despite evacuations. Most of the area’s homes avoided damage as of Friday morning, but some residents like Mendez, who lives alongside Gages Slough, which is connected to the Skagit River, weren’t as lucky. When water started pouring into the basement of her home, Mendez and her family sprang into action, trying to seal the doors with towels and whatever they could find, but quickly realizing the water was coming in too hard and fast to stop.
Returning Home
The Skagit remained high Friday evening, and more rain is likely in the days ahead. A second but less severe atmospheric river is expected to arrive late Sunday into Monday, which may cause Washington rivers to rise again, according to the National Weather Service. Emergency managers have warned those who evacuated to stay away until they sound the all-clear. For the 10,000 people in Burlington, the evacuation order was partially rescinded Friday morning. Andy Wheeler returned to his home Friday afternoon to pick up some food from his freezer, stepping out onto his flooded driveway in sneakers, socks, and shorts, the water coming up above his ankles. Water inside the house was 3-4 inches deep, he said, but he and his wife had picked up most of their belongings off the floor. His main concern was whether the Koi fish in their backyard pond were still there, and they still don’t know whether the fish survived.
