On Dec. 10, 2025, Governor Bob Ferguson declared a statewide emergency in response to the major flooding across Washington state. The Governor alerted Washingtonians about evacuation orders and sought federal funds to access emergency protective measures. This historic flooding forced 100,000 people to evacuate. The natural disaster demolished infrastructure as it ripped through highways, submerging vehicles and homes in addition to taking one life in the span of over ten days.
The floods appeared across vast swaths of Western Washington, more specifically Skagit, Snohomish, King, Pierce and Whatcom counties, with low-lying river communities such as Burlington and Sumas affected the most by the intense flooding. These floodwaters were the result of atmospheric rivers; large amounts of condensed water vapor in the atmosphere capable of producing significant levels of rain, strong enough to cause harsh landslides and mudslides, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Through the increasing effects of climate change, the atmosphere gets hotter which allows more water vapors to be held within the atmosphere.
“There’s a direct correlation between temperature and how much water vapor can be held in the atmosphere,” states Dr. Turner, a professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences here at the University of Washington Bothell. Dr. Turner explains, “every one-degree Celsius increase in atmospheric temperature, it can hold 7% more water … the likelihood of us having atmospheric rivers dumping enormous amounts of rain on us keeps increasing and will continue to increase as long as global temperatures in the atmosphere — and in the ocean — keep going up.” While the certainty of atmospheric rivers occurring is hard to predict, it is expected that intense floodwaters are likely to occur in the future, bringing in more catastrophic flooding.
Since 1850, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports carbon dioxide levels have risen by 50%, contributing to global warming which has impacted the Northwest in noticeable ways.Temperatures have increased in the region by 2-3° F since the 20th century. Snow precipitation in the winter has transformed into rain, showcased in the recent flooding of Western Washington. KUOW claims the flooded areas contained more than three times the volume of water than Lake Washington. This drastic change is a new type of phenomenon, as less than 50 years ago, rising waters were not a concern for coastal communities. However, over the past decade, Urban Wire details several counties such as Skagit, Snohomish and Whatcom faced six federally declared disasters for natural hazards. Declared disasters such as wildfires, flooding, landslides, severe winter storms and mudslides deplete resources with Fox 13 Seattle reporting the recent flooding cost $40 to $50 million in repairing infrastructure damage. As these events become more drastic, it requires government officials to install proactive projects, not just in preparation for disasters, but for dealing with climate change.
With political tensions on the rise, it becomes increasingly difficult for the state and federal government to cooperate as dwindling federal aid raises the stakes, or in the case of Washington State, funds for disaster prevention grants. In July of last year, NBC News reported that grant funding for climate resiliency projects was cut by Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, with Washington State specifically facing difficulty due to awaiting a month long approval from the Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in $31 million in disaster prevention grants. Proactive measures are designed to help local communities combat coastal hazards. While The Spokesman-Review reported the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services waived sanctions and penalties for hospitals in emergency areas during the flooding, it fails to address the broader issues of climate change. More importantly, communities within Washington State must endure. This is especially important for tribal nations, as many who evacuated were members of Indigenous fishing tribes.
A New York Times article describes the acceleration of the climate that puts Northwest Tribal nations at risk. U.S. tribes need $1.9 billion over the next 50 years to adapt their infrastructure for climate changes. Within the UW Bothell community, the flooding occurred during fall quarter finals, which forced a couple of students to take the finals online. For the student body, it is vital for students to learn more about what is happening with our climate.
“Knowledge is power, the more that people take courses or just read about the changes that are occurring to climate, in the way that we manage our water system, the better,” Dr. Turner explains. People can become involved or informed of the topic through taking courses such as BEARTH 320, taught by Dr. Turner, which explores the impact of climate change. Another way is to participate in the UW Bothell Alliance for Sustainability club, which intends to spread awareness on the problems that the environment faces.
For UW Bothell students, the best resource for dealing within future flooding cases is to be knowledgeable about your surroundings as well as the political realm. This would include being aware of whether if your location is in a floodplain, or understanding that flash flooding can occur anywhere if it rains often. A great resource to check traffic and weather conditions is the Washington State Department of Transportation real time map. Make sure to sign up for the UW Alert, which provides campus closures and delays from inclement weather and emergencies. Right now, the concurrent presidential administration is pulling back from projects to protect the environment, so it is necessary to support sustainable initiatives and impacted communities.
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