Washington

LIVE UPDATES: Washington flooding, road closures, evacuations

Published

3 weeks ago

December 16, 2025

LIVE UPDATES: Washington flooding, road closures, evacuations

SEATTLE – As more heavy rainfall is expected in western Washington this week, the region remains under a Flood Watch, with road closures, evacuations, and power outages persisting.

A Flash Flood Warning was activated and later canceled for parts of south King County after a Green River levee failed. The levee has since been repaired, patched by sandbags after nearby businesses were evacuated.

Desimone Levee breech. (Dana Ralph, Kent Mayor)

Keep reading for live weather updates for Tuesday, Dec. 16.

8:05 a.m.: Resources available in Pacific, WA

Valley Regional Fire listed several resources on behalf of the city of Pacific:

Warm location that will be serving coffee and breakfast: Senior Center and the gym at the Pacific Community Center (100 3rd Ave SE)
Auburn Community and Events Center (910 9th ST SE) is open with Red Cross resources
The Filipino American Community of Puget Sound in Algona (103 6th Ave N) is also offering a warm location
Alpac Elementary School (310 Milwaukee Blvd N) parking lot is available in addition to restrooms.
Sandbags are available at 224 County Line Road

7:42 a.m.: Puget Sound Energy crews make significant progress in restoring power outages in WA

Puget Sound Energy (PSE) crews made great progress overnight after more than 50,000 people in western Washington lost power on Monday. As of 7:42 a.m. on Tuesday, there are only 56 outages impacted 1,343 customers.Snohomish PUD is reporting outages impacting 490 people. Clallam County PUD is reporting 0 outages.

7:40 a.m.: SR 167 remains closed between Kent and Auburn

‘Go Now’ evacuation in Auburn

Flooding from the Green River is forcing Level 3 ‘Go Now’ Evacuation order in the area between South 277th and north of 42nd, and east of SR-167 and west of Green River.

The Washington State Department of Transportation said both directions of State Route 167 remain closed on Tuesday between South 212th Street in Kent and 15th Avenue West in Auburn due to flooding.

Drivers are advised to take alternate routes and expect delays on I-5 and I-405.

WSDOT’s David Rasbach told Good Day Seattle there was still water over the roadway in the area.

State Route 167 remains closed between Kent and Auburn.

7:30 a.m.: Level 3 ‘Go Now’ Evacuation in Auburn, WA

There are still evacuation orders in effect in Auburn, Washington. This flooding from the Green River is forcing Level 3 ‘Go Now’ Evacuation order in the area between South 277th and north of 42nd, and east of SR-167 and west of Green River.

There are also Level 2 ‘Get Set’ Evacuations in several neighborhoods along both sides of the Green River, including areas near 104th Avenue Southeast, Pike Street Northeast and Pike Place Northeast – south of the Auburn Golf Course. Anyone who lives there should be prepared to leave at a moment’s notice if things get worse.

Officials say evacuees seeking shelter can go to the Auburn Community and Event Center and Ray of Hope Shelter in Auburn.

7:24 a.m.: Person dead after driving car onto flooded roadway in Snohomish County

A driver died overnight in Snohomish after reportedly bypassing road closure signs and plunging into a flooded ditch near East Lowell Larimer Road.

7:03 a.m.: Level 3 ‘Go Now’ Evacuation in Concrete, WA; School district closed

There is a Level 3 ‘Go Now’ Evacuation order in place for the Erikson Road neighborhood in Concrete, Washington.

The town says they found a landslide there last week, and with more rain and wind coming, they are asking people to leave the area.There is also an upgraded Level 2 ‘Get Set’ Evacuation near Burpee Hill Road that is impacting 32 homes. This comes after a landslide in the area on Monday.

The Red Cross opened a shelter for people impacted by those evacuations at the Mount Baker Presbyterian Church off Main Street.

County officials say pets can be accommodated.Schools in the Concrete School District are closed Tuesday. The district will continue to monitor conditions to make decisions for later this week.You can find more school closures across western Washington here.

6:20 a.m.: How you can help

GoFundMe has updated their list of verified fundraisers and non-profits providing help to those affected by the flooding.

To donate to Washington and Pacific Northwest flood relief fundraisers, click here.

6:09 a.m.: Flooding impacting local blood supply

The flash flood evacuation from the Green River levee breech is near Bloodworks Northwest’s Renton Lab and Donor Center.

Officials say the stored blood supply remains safe, but the donor center is closed.

Critical blood storage, supplies and vehicles were moved to a different location, and upcoming blood drives may be affected.

Bloodworks Northwest said more than 300 potential donations have been canceled since last week, which created a shortage.

The company is asking donors of all blood types are needed. To donate, click here.

6:04 a.m.: Evacuation efforts in Pacific, WA

Valley Regional Fire Authority crews are working to help residents evacuate in Pacific.

Officials said about 100 residents have been evacuated and no injuries have been reported.

The affected areas primarily are S of 1st, and E of Butte, S of Stewart, and Skinner Road.

5:20 a.m.: Tracking school closures and delays

Several school districts in western Washington announced delays.

Here is the latest list.

5 a.m.: New evacuation orders in Pacific

Early Tuesday morning, police in Pacific announced after 1:30 a.m. there was a Level 3 “Go Now” evacuation order due to a levee break on the White River.

The evacuation order affects the areas east of Butte and South of Third.

National Weather Service Seattle issued a Flash Flood Warning before 1:45 a.m. Tuesday.

Tuesday weather forecast

Heavy rain, gusty winds and mountain snow returns to western Washington by Tuesday evening, with the potential to push river levels even higher and knock out power to thousands due to downed trees.

The Skagit, Snoqualmie, Green, White, Cedar, Cowlitz, Stehekin and Skykomish rivers are back under Flood Warnings.

A Flood Watch remains in effect for parts of Western Washington through Thursday afternoon. (FOX 13 Seattle)

A Winter Storm Warning and Winter Weather Advisory will be in effect Tuesday afternoon through late Wednesday for heavy mountain snow.

Green River levee fails, Flash Flood Warning

A Flash Flood Warning was activated on Monday after a Green River levee failed in Tukwila, prompting evacuations in areas downstream from the levee break.

While the warning was canceled just before Monday evening, the Desimone levee breach was at one point described as “life-threatening” and reportedly threatened nearby structures.

Most of western Washington remains under a Flood Watch through Thursday due to the rainy forecast ahead, along with already high river levels.

Road closures in Western Washington

Several critical roadways across western Washington are closed due to weather effects, including highway washouts that will continue to impact travel.

On Interstate 90, eastbound lanes of the freeway are closed near North Bend due to a landslide. Additionally, though not weather related, all westbound lanes are closed near Cle Elum due to construction of the Bullfrog Road overpass.

U.S. 2 Stevens Pass is closed at Tumwater Canyon after a section of the highway was washed out by flooding last week. It’s blocked between Skykomish and Leavenworth, and there is no estimated time for when the road will reopen. Highway 410 is also closed at Enumclaw due to a washout.

SR 410 washout (Enumclaw Police Department)

MORE NEWS FROM FOX 13 SEATTLE

New WA laws in 2026 include higher wages, luxury car tax, plastic bag fee hike

Wild Waves Theme Park to shut down in 2026

Charter bus breaks down in Leavenworth, leaving dozens stranded

75-year-old woman attacked in Downtown Seattle, suspect arrested

Washington State Ferries seeks new owners for aging fleet castoffs

To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter.

Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national news.

The Source: Information in this story came from the websites and social media pages of various agencies and emergency management departments across western Washington, and FOX 13 Seattle reporting.

FloodingTrafficNewsWeatherSevere WeatherWashington

Source link

Related Topics:environment Featured flooding news severe weather traffic us Wa weather

Click to comment

Washington

Stars defeat Capitals to end losing streak at 6 | NHL.com

Published

8 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

Stars defeat Capitals to end losing streak at 6 | NHL.com

Hintz scored into an empty net at 19:41 for the 4-1 final.

“Everybody played hard, did the right things, got pucks in deep, especially in the third period when we’re trying to close out a lead,” DeSmith said. “So, I thought top to bottom, first, second and third, we were really good.”

NOTES: The Stars swept the two-game season series (including a 1-0 win Oct. 28 in Dallas) and are 8-1-0 in their past nine games against the Capitals. … Duchene had the secondary assist on Steel’s goal, giving him 900 points (374 goals, 526 assists) in 1,157 NHL games. … Hintz has 11 points (seven goals, four assists) in an eight-game point streak against Washington. He had a game-high 12 shots on goal. … Thompson has lost six of his past seven starts (1-5-1).

Source link

Washington

Bridge collapse on Washington Avenue leaves emergency crews racing to rescue victims

Published

20 hours ago

January 7, 2026

Press Room

Bridge collapse on Washington Avenue leaves emergency crews racing to rescue victims

WHEELING, W.Va. — Emergency crews are responding to a major incident at the Washington Avenue Bridge, which has collapsed into Wheeling Creek.

Multiple police and firefighter units are on the scene, working swiftly to rescue those injured in the collapse.

Three injured workers have been taken to the hospital. Officials say one is a serious injury and two are non-life threatening.

Access to the area has been closed to facilitate rescue operations.

The bridge was closed in early December for a replacement that was expected to take nearly a year.

BE THE FIRST TO COMMENT

Stick with NEWS9 and WTOV9.com as we learn more.

Source link

Washington

Dynamite, Floods and Feuds: Washington’s forgotten river wars

Published

1 day ago

January 7, 2026

Press Room

Dynamite, Floods and Feuds: Washington’s forgotten river wars

A look back at Washington’s historic flooding

It’s been a few weeks since the historic flooding hit the streets of western Washington, and if you scroll through social media, the shock still seems fresh. While some insist it was a once-in-a-generation disaster, state history tells a different story.

TUKWILA, Wash. – After floodwaters inundated western Washington in December, social media is still filled with disbelief, with many people saying they had never seen flooding like it before.

But local history shows the region has experienced catastrophic flooding, just not within most people’s lifetimes.

A valley under water

What may look like submerged farmland in Skagit or Snohomish counties is actually an aerial view of Tukwila from more than a century ago. Before Boeing, business parks and suburban development, the Kent Valley was a wide floodplain.

(Tukwila Historical Society)

In November 1906, much of the valley was underwater, according to city records. In some places, floodwaters reached up to 10 feet, inundating homesteads and entire communities.

“Roads were destroyed, river paths were readjusted,” said Chris Staudinger of Pretty Gritty Tours. “So much of what had been built in these areas got washed away.”

Staudinger has been sharing historical images and records online, drawing comparisons between the December flooding and events from the late 1800s and early 1900s.

“It reminded me so much of what’s happening right now,” he said, adding that the loss then, as now, was largely a loss of property and control rather than life.

When farmers used dynamite

Records show flooding was not the only force reshaping the region’s rivers. In the late 1800s, farmers repeatedly used dynamite in attempts to redirect waterways.

“The White River in particular has always been contentious,” explained Staudinger. “For farmers in that area, multiple different times starting in the 1890s, groups of farmers would get together and blow-up parts of the river to divert its course either up to King County or down to Pierce County.”

Staudinger says at times they used too much dynamite and accidentally sent logs lobbing through the air like missiles.

In one instance, King County farmers destroyed a bluff, permanently diverting the White River into Pierce County. The river no longer flowed toward Elliott Bay, instead emptying into Commencement Bay.

Outraged by this, Pierce County farmers took their grievances to the Washington State Supreme Court. The court ruled the change could not be undone.

When flooding returned, state officials intervened to stop further explosions.

“To prevent anyone from going out and blowing up the naturally occurred log jam, the armed guards were dispatched by the state guard,” said Staudinger. “Everything was already underwater.”

Rivers reengineered — and erased

Over the next century, rivers across the region were dredged, dammed and diverted. Entire waterways changed or disappeared.

“So right where the Renton Airport is now used to be this raging waterway called the Black River,” explained Staudinger. “Connected into the Duwamish. It was a major salmon run. It was a navigable waterway.”

Today, that river has been reduced to what Staudinger described as “the little dry trickle.”

Between 1906 and 1916, the most dramatic changes occurred that played a role in its shrinking. When the Ballard Locks were completed, Lake Washington dropped by nine feet, permanently cutting off its southern flow.

A lesson from December

Despite modern levees and flood-control engineering, December’s storms showed how vulnerable the region remains.

“For me, that’s the takeaway,” remarked Staudinger. “You could do all of this to try and remain in control, but the river’s going to do whatever it wants.”

He warned that history suggests the risk is ongoing.

“You’re always one big storm from it rediscovering its old path,” said Staudinger.

MORE NEWS FROM FOX 13 SEATTLE

New Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson talks homelessness, police tensions and World Cup countdown

Seattle leaders combat ‘misinformation’, say open-air drug use still means arrests

Here’s everything to know about the 2026 Super Bowl

Seattle ranks as the best US city for keeping New Year’s resolutions in 2026, data shows

WA trooper struck, injured in multi-car crash on SR 512

To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter.

Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national news.

The Source: Information in this story came from the Tukwila Historical Society, MOHAI, Pretty Gritty Tours, and FOX 13 Seattle reporting and interviews.

FloodingWashingtonTukwilaNews

Source link