Western Washington is preparing for another round of heavy rain and the threat of renewed flooding as a second atmospheric river system is forecast to sweep through the region, compounding the impacts of an unprecedented weather event that has already inundated rivers, breached levees and forced emergency evacuations.

The National Weather Service and local emergency officials have issued widespread flood watches and flash-flood warnings, underscoring the risk that rivers already swollen by earlier rain will rise again and imperil low-lying communities and transportation infrastructure across the Puget Sound area and surrounding counties.

The fresh atmospheric river is expected to bring significant rainfall totals to western Washington into mid-week, with continued downpours already prompting concerns about major or record flooding along key waterways, including the Skagit, Snohomish, Skykomish and Puyallup rivers.

Authorities have highlighted that this new system could deliver additional inches of rain on ground already saturated from recent storms, raising the likelihood of further levee stresses, urban inundation and landslide threats in areas with steep terrain.

Emergency management officials have emphasised the need for residents to remain vigilant, adhere to evacuation notices and avoid travel through standing or rising water, noting that even relatively shallow floodwaters can quickly become life-threatening.

In parts of King, Snohomish, Skagit and Whatcom counties, previous heavy rainfall created historic flood conditions, prompting evacuations, road closures and extensive response operations involving local authorities and the Washington National Guard.

Forecast models indicate that the atmospheric river’s persistence through Wednesday or Thursday could keep multiple river gauges at elevated levels and sustain pressure on flood-mitigation systems already operating under strain.

Officials have reiterated that conditions can change rapidly in such events and urged residents near flood-prone rivers to prepare for evolving weather patterns.

With both meteorological and hydrological threats linked to the incoming system, Western Washington’s emergency response teams are maintaining heightened readiness to protect communities and infrastructure as the region confronts the ongoing impacts of severe winter storms.