Extreme weather conditions in Washington State have forced thousands to abandon their homes due to severe flooding.
After days of punishing rain from a fierce atmospheric river, the state is grappling with historic flooding, widespread evacuations, road shutdowns, and stretched emergency services, with more storms looming through mid-to-late December, Fox Weather reported.
This catastrophe kicked off earlier this week as torrential downpours hammered Washington, sending rivers to unprecedented heights.
Some areas recorded over 22 inches of rain by Friday morning.
Earlier this week, Gov. Bob Ferguson declared a state of emergency and mobilized the National Guard as rivers, like the Snohomish, reached record levels of 34 feet.
By Thursday, the Skagit River at Mount Vernon hit a jaw-dropping 37.7 feet, another all-time high.
Meanwhile, countless other waterways overflowed, drowning roads and neighborhoods.
Over 30 key roadways were barricaded by Thursday afternoon, with flooding and debris slides making travel a risky bet across counties like Skagit, Pierce, and Lewis on both sides of the Cascades.
Friday morning saw a heartbreaking turn in Burlington, Skagit County, where National Guardsmen evacuated nearly 11,000 souls as the Gages Slough river surged into homes.
First responders have been the unsung champions, pulling off dozens of aerial and water rescues while shelters opened to house those displaced by the floods.
In a single night, Snohomish Regional Fire and Rescue tackled 17 swift water calls, rescuing 24 people, four cats, and two dogs, a stark picture of the toll on families and pets alike.
Gov. Ferguson managed to secure a federal emergency declaration, signed by President Donald Trump.
The order brings FEMA support to 16 counties and tribal nations like the Samish Indian Nation.
During a press conference, Gov. Ferguson stated:
“The flooding levels we are looking at are potentially historic in nature.”
While 300 National Guard members are on standby in Skagit County for recovery, one can’t help but question if this after-the-fact response truly matches a crisis Ferguson himself called “extremely unpredictable.”
As if the pain weren’t enough, the brief lull in the rain won’t last.
A fresh atmospheric river is expected to hit starting Sunday night, dumping another 2 to 3 inches by Monday.
The Climate Prediction Center offers little comfort, projecting above-average rainfall into late December, potentially dragging this ordeal into a grueling marathon for exhausted Washingtonians.
With no reported deaths so far, per Ferguson’s latest update, there’s a sliver of hope, but the looming storms remind us that this battle is far from over.
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