Skagit County has activated its emergency operations center and, like much of Western Washington, is bracing for a second round of flooding this week that’s expected to be more intense than the first.

“We are a little alarmed,” Sarah Stoner, a spokesperson for Skagit County’s Emergency Management Office, said Tuesday evening. She had just learned the Skagit River near Concrete is now expected to crest about 15 feet over the threshold for major flooding and 9 feet over that mark in Mount Vernon.

Both would shatter past high-water marks. Skagit River near Concrete (Shaun Martin / The Seattle Times)

The biggest message officials are sending to residents in the lowlands is simple: Stay informed and be prepared to evacuate if needed.

Already this week, first responders have rescued peopl

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