'GO NOW.' 100,000 evacuated in historic Skagit flood KUOW Staff December 11, 2025 / 8:17 am

“GO NOW.” That’s the message from Skagit County to 100,000 residents who live in the valley’s floodplains. Parts of Mount Vernon and Sedro-Woolley are under mandatory evacuation orders because of the swollen Skagit River.

“This is a flood that we haven't seen before,” Mount Vernon Mayor Peter Donovan said. “The potential for catastrophic flooding is real ... and so we need to encourage people to heed that warning and to move on to higher ground.” The Skagit River is expected to rise at least two feet above record levels near Mount Vernon tomorrow — after it's expected to break the record near Concrete today.

The National Weather Service has also issued a flash flood watch for western Skagi

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