As Western Washington’s watersheds and mountains are set to get pummeled by rain early Wednesday, rising rivers could threaten homes, livestock and lives in valleys spanning from Mount Rainier to Mount Baker — and even to the Olympics.

The Carbon River near Fairfax; Cedar River near Renton; Elwha River near Port Angeles; Snohomish River at Snohomish; Stillaguamish River at Arlington; and the Skagit River at Concrete and Mount Vernon were all expected to either swell above their record height or come within inches of the record.

The Skagit was slated to reach major flood stage by Wednesday afternoon, rising aggressively until a peak around 4 a.m. Thursday in the Concrete area.

The river will rise more gradually in Mount Vernon, a city of 35,000, likely crossing the threshold for major fl

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