Western Washington faces 'catastrophic' flooding as two atmospheric rivers dump heavy rain

Western Washington faces 'catastrophic' flooding as two atmospheric rivers dump heavy rain

Noel Gasca

John Ryan

December 10, 2025 / 5:03 pm

Western Washington braced for what the National Weather Service in Seattle called “catastrophic” conditions Wednesday as an atmospheric river drenched the state.

The NWS forecasted major flooding for 17 rivers as rain persisted across the region. Parts of Northwest Oregon were also affected , with flood warnings in place for several rivers.

Gov. Bob Ferguson declared a statewide emergency in response to the intense flooding. Several impacted counties also issued evacuation orders Wednesday afternoon.

The ocean-crossing storms known as atmospheric rivers are nothing new: They’re a major source of moisture up and down the West Coast every wint