A powerful arctic blast descended from Canada, sweeping southward and impacting parts of the northern United States on Saturday. Meanwhile, residents in the Pacific Northwest were bracing for a lingering threat of mudslides and potential levee failures as floodwaters showed a slow pace in receding. The catastrophic flooding had already compelled thousands of individuals to evacuate their homes.
Among those forced to flee was Eddie Wicks and his wife, who reside on a farm in Washington state, nestled among sunflowers and Christmas trees, adjacent to the Snoqualmie River. As they diligently worked to move their two donkeys to higher ground and their eight goats to the relative safety of their outdoor kitchen, the river’s waters began to surge with an alarming speed, surpassing any previous flood events they had experienced.
By Thursday afternoon, as the relentless water engulfed their home, deputies from the King County Sheriff’s Office marine rescue dive unit arrived on the scene. They were able to safely evacuate the couple and their dog, transporting them by boat across what had transformed into a half-mile-long lake that was once their field. This dramatic rescue was captured on video, illustrating the perilous conditions.
Lingering Dangers in the Pacific Northwest
The threat in the Pacific Northwest is far from over. Forecasters indicated that another period of heavy rain and strong winds was anticipated for the region as early as late Sunday.
“The bottom line at this point is that we are not done, despite the sunny conditions we are currently experiencing across western Washington,” stated Reid Wolcott, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Seattle.
He elaborated, “There is still more to come in terms of wind, in terms of rain, and in terms of flooding. Washingtonians need to be prepared for additional impacts, including further flooding, tree damage, and power outages.”
The high winds expected toward the end of the weekend and into the early part of the week pose a significant concern. This is due to the ground being exceptionally saturated, which makes trees more susceptible to toppling over.
Residents Face the Aftermath: A New Beginning
In Burlington, a farming community situated approximately an hour north of Seattle, the gradual receding of floodwaters has allowed residents to begin assessing the damage and cleaning up their homes.
Friends and relatives have been instrumental in assisting individuals like Argentina Dominguez, helping to clear her home. Trailers were filled with waterlogged furniture, carpets were ripped out, and muddy floors were scrubbed.
“I know it’s materialistic stuff, but it was our stuff. It’s really hard. But we’re going to try our best to get through it all,” Dominguez shared, her voice tinged with emotion. “We’re just trying to get everything off the floor so we can start over.”
A Challenging and Costly Cleanup Ahead
In Snohomish County, Washington, located north of Seattle, emergency officials led a tour on Saturday for federal, state, and local dignitaries, showcasing the extent of the devastation.
“It’s obvious that thousands upon thousands of Washingtonians and communities across our state are in the process of digging out, and that is going to be a challenging process,” remarked Governor Bob Ferguson.
He continued, “It’s going to be expensive. It’s going to be time-consuming, and it’s going to be potentially dangerous at times. So, what we’re seeing here in Monroe is indicative of what we’re going to be seeing all across the state, and that’s where our focus is right now.”
Arctic Air Grips the Upper Midwest
As the Pacific Northwest grapples with the aftermath of the deluge, a separate weather system has already brought dangerously low wind-chill values—a combination of frigid air temperatures and wind—to portions of the Upper Midwest.
Shortly before noon on Saturday, Grand Forks, North Dakota, registered a temperature of minus 12 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 24 degrees Celsius). With the wind-chill factor, it felt as cold as minus 33 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 36 degrees Celsius), according to the National Weather Service.
Major metropolitan areas such as Minneapolis and Chicago were anticipating their coldest temperatures late Saturday night into Sunday morning. In the Minneapolis vicinity, overnight lows were projected to dip to around minus 15 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 26 degrees Celsius) by early Sunday. Chicago was expected to see lows around 1 degree Fahrenheit (minus 17 degrees Celsius) during the same period, the weather service reported.
This arctic air mass was forecast to continue its southward and eastward trajectory throughout the weekend, extending its reach into the Southern states by Sunday.
The National Weather Service issued cold weather advisories on Saturday that stretched as far south as Montgomery, the capital city of Alabama. Here, temperatures were expected to plummet to around 22 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 6 degrees Celsius) late Sunday night into Monday morning. To the east, Savannah, Georgia, was projected to experience lows around 24 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 4 degrees Celsius) during the same timeframe.
The Double Threat: Mudslides and Levee Failures
The frigid weather gripping much of the nation unfolded as residents in the Pacific Northwest endured further hardship following several days of relentless flooding. Thousands of people were displaced from their homes in towns across the region. An unusually potent atmospheric river had delivered a foot or more of rain to parts of western and central Washington over several days, causing rivers to swell, inundating communities, and necessitating dramatic rescues from rooftops and vehicles.
The surging waters also impacted a significant number of animals, forcing evacuations from horse pastures, barns, and farmland. At the height of the rescue efforts, approximately 170 horses, 140 chickens, and 90 goats saved from the floodwaters were being cared for at a county park north of Seattle, according to Kara Underwood, division manager of Snohomish County Parks. Most of these animals remained at the park on Saturday.
While the record floodwaters were slowly receding, authorities cautioned that water levels would remain elevated for several days. The danger of potential levee failures or mudslides persisted. Furthermore, additional rainfall was forecast for Sunday. Officials conducted numerous water rescues as debris and mudslides obstructed highways, and raging currents washed out roads and bridges.