Western WA weather updates: What to know as rain, floods continue

Through March 15, Seattle Public Utilities provides up to 25 free, filled sandbags per address for pickup at three Seattle locations.

King County also works with partners to distribute sandbag materials to the public for free at 13 locations across the county. Each distribution location may have different hours of availability and limits to the amount of sandbag materials you can take.

It's important to remember sandbags don't seal out water but help redirect stormwater flow and protect properties from debris.

To avoid deadly carbon monoxide poisoning during a power outage, follow these important tips. Use the multi-language page to help your neighbors.

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There are some places where rain is rain and the number of seasons is known.

But Western Washington isn’t one of them.

The Seattle area has so many different kinds of precipitation — drizzle, mist, showers, virga — that residents have taken to making up their names for it.

Read the full story here.

Crews have cleared the debris caused by a landslide on the Burke-Gilman Trail at 11700 Riviera Place N.E., according to Seattle Parks and Recreation.

The trail will reopen soon, after having closed Tuesday morning.

Firefighting recruits from across Snohomish County are helping protect Stanwood from flooding Wednesday morning.

Earlier Wednesday, the National Weather Service issued a flood warning for the greater Stanwood area until 8:15 p.m.

Recruits from South County Fire and other agencies placed sandbags near the Stillaguamish River along Highway 532, the agency said on X.

Here are some tips from Seattle Public Utilities to help reduce flooding in your neighborhood and stay safe during wet weather:

• Rake leaves.
• Clear storm drains.
• Be prepared and know how to stay safe during the rainy season.

Read the full story here.

The King County Flood Warning Center closed Wednesday morning after over 30 hours of operations monitoring river flooding across the county.

Flows remain high on some rivers, including the lower White River, where controlled releases from Mud Mountain Dam brought the river to a Phase 2 flood alert level.

Elsewhere in King County, river levels have dropped significantly following Tuesday's peak flows. The Snoqualmie River reached a Phase 3 flood alert level on Tuesday, when floodwater flowed across fields and roads in the upper Snoqualmie River Valley. Those floodwaters have slowly been moving downstream throughout Wednesday morning, the agency said.

The center will continue to monitor conditions across the county.

Washington State Archives staffers are taking "extraordinary measures" to protect historic records this week, the agency said on X.

Heavy rains and floods threaten the vaults in Olympia that hold everything from genealogy treasures to the document proclaiming "the Great Sasquatch" as the state monster.

And it's not just floods: Sewage lines run over some records, the fire suppression system is out of date, and the building's control systems to manage temperature and humidity — important factors to keep constant when preserving records — are failing.

Read the full story here.

The Washington State Department of Transportation is urging drivers to be cautious of standing water.

"Driving through standing water is an easy way to hydroplane. We don't want that," WSDOT said on X.

If you do hydroplane, don't panic, avoid hard braking and quick turns, ease off the gas and lightly pump brakes (or use consistent pressure if anti-lock brakes).

The American Red Cross Northwest Region helped seven people whose homes flooded near the Stillaguamish River in Arlington overnight, the agency posted on the social platform X.

The Stillaguamish set a preliminary record at 21.34 feet — the highest the river has ever risen — with major flooding in Arlington on Tuesday.

Many homes, farms and businesses surrounding the river are inundated Wednesday morning.

The National Weather Service has issued a flood warning for the greater Stanwood area in Snohomish County until 8:15 p.m. Wednesday.

Emergency management reports active flooding in the area along the Stillaguamish River, which includes Stanwood, Florence, Warm Beach and Silvana. Church Creek, Hat Slough, West Pass, Pilchuck Creek, Stillaguamish River and Portage Creek are flooding.

The water systems in the area, which saw close to 9 inches of rain since Sunday, are draining after the Stillaguamish recorded a record crest on Tuesday, according to the weather service.

The White River along Pacific in King County has reached flood phase 2, which means minor flooding in some areas.

Continued sedimentation in the White River has reduced its flow capacity, which means flood levels can change unpredictably near Pacific, according to the county.

The Red Creek area may also have high water and may have overtopped roads, according to the city of Auburn.

Atmospheric river. Pineapple express. Jet stream.

You’ve seen the terms — but what do they all mean? After an atmospheric river soaked Western Washington Tuesday, here's what to know about the rivers of rain.

Read the full story here.

As the rain continues to fall, here are some tips from the Washington State Department of Transportation to drive safely on slick roads:

• Slow down (even if you have four-wheel drive).
• Increase your following distance.
• Use your headlights.
• Watch out for water pooled on the roadway.
• Turn off cruise control.
• Check your tire treads, windshield wipers and defroster. Make sure your windshield-wiper fluid is filled.
• Leave early and give yourself plenty of travel time so you’re not rushing.
• Pull over and take a break if you’re frustrated or angry, as that’s when people are often tempted to make bad decisions.
• If you’re hydroplaning, don’t panic. Avoid hard braking and quick turns, and ease off the gas while lightly pumping your brakes.

We previously asked our readers and co-workers what their favorite “recipes” were for making it through this season — for getting cozy, hyping the hygge and adding brightness to their days, in whatever form.

And boy did you all respond.

Read the full story here.

An “incredible save” took place Tuesday night on the raging Skykomish River in Monroe, according to the Snohomish Regional Fire and Rescue.

A man in a small aluminum boat with no oars was on the river in the dark, amongst heavy currents and debris, with only a headlamp to guide him.

With a rope thrown from the overpass of Highway 522, more than 20 members from Snohomish Regional Fire and Rescue, Snohomish County Fire District and the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office helped rescue the man 4 miles from where he was first spotted, Snohomish Regional Fire and Rescue said.

Read the full story here.

As Western Washington emerges from the deluge of the recent atmospheric river, many of the rain-swollen terrestrial counterparts have flooded or are expected to flood on Wednesday.

The atmospheric river brought up to 7 inches of rain in the Olympic and Cascade mountains, with up to 10 inches between Darrington and Gold Bar, the National Weather Service said.

Read the full story here.

With the soils of the region well saturated, the warm and wet system was expected to continue to drive rainfall through the region into Wednesday.

Heavier precipitation was expected to shift south over Oregon on Wednesday, and snow elevations in Washington were expected to drop back down to pass levels by early Thursday.