The Snoqualmie River is on the rise, and federal forecasters say parts of King County need to take it seriously. The National Weather Service has issued a flood warning focused on the Snoqualmie River near Snoqualmie Falls, in effect from Wednesday morning through Thursday morning. People living and working in the Snoqualmie Valley are being told to prepare for higher water, with low-lying roads and pasture lands at risk of flooding.
According to the warning, the Snoqualmie River near Snoqualmie Falls is expected to hit flood stage around 7 a.m. Wednesday and could crest near 24,300 cubic feet per second by Wednesday afternoon. Flows around 20,000 cfs would inundate pasturelands and valley roads from Snoqualmie downstream through Fall City. The National Weather Service noted an observed flow of about 12,200 cfs Tuesday evening and scheduled its next statement for 6:00 a.m. Wednesday.
Where to get local river info
King County runs a Flood Warning System that tracks river phases in the Snoqualmie Basin, operates a 24-hour Flood Warning Center and offers a realtime gage app so residents can see what the rivers are doing in near real time. Per King County, residents can call the Flood Warning Center at 206-296-8200 or sign up for Flood Alerts by text or email to get location-specific notices and sandbag information.
What to expect and safety reminders
Officials are repeating a familiar flood-season mantra: “Turn around, don’t drown.” The National Weather Service warns that just six inches of fast-moving water can knock a person off their feet and that driving into floodwater is especially dangerous. For safety tips and more details on the risks of walking or driving into flooded areas, see the National Weather Service, and do not drive around barricades or into standing water, no matter how shallow it looks.
How to stay updated
The update was first reported by the Tacoma News Tribune, which relayed the National Weather Service alert and the expected local impacts. If you live downstream or plan to travel through the Snoqualmie Valley over the next 48 hours, keep an eye on National Weather Service products, county Flood Alerts and local road reports so rising water does not catch you by surprise.
