Washington, 1997

Flooding in Washington, March 20, 1997

March 20, 1997 · NWS SEW · 5 events in 5 counties and zones

Flooding occurred on the Chehalis, Skykomish, Snohomish, Stillaguamish, Skagit, Naselle, Willapa, Satsop, Wynoochee, Elwha, Cedar and Tolt rivers. This was the first time in about 20 years the Wynoochee River flooded and about 150 people were evacuated along its banks.

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$1.2 million
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
5

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS SEW wrote it up.

Flooding occurred on the Chehalis, Skykomish, Snohomish, Stillaguamish, Skagit, Naselle, Willapa, Satsop, Wynoochee, Elwha, Cedar and Tolt rivers. This was the first time in about 20 years the Wynoochee River flooded and about 150 people were evacuated along its banks. There were homes along the Wynoochee that had 5 to 8 feet of water in them. 10 counties were in a state of emergency from the heavy rains and river flooding. In Stanwood, it took about an hour for a park and ride lot to fill with 5 ft of water, flooding 13 cars. The damage from these floods also includes damage from the 5 days of heavy rain.

Event by event

5 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Everett and Vicinity

When
March 20, 1:00 AM PST to 10:00 PM PST
Where
Everett and Vicinity forecast zone
Property damage
$1.2 million

Flood, Seattle Metropolitan Area

When
March 20, 1:00 AM PST to 10:00 PM PST
Where
Seattle Metropolitan Area forecast zone

Flood, Tacoma Area

When
March 20, 1:00 AM PST to 10:00 PM PST
Where
Tacoma Area forecast zone

Flood, Hood Canal/Kitsap Peninsula

When
March 20, 1:00 AM PST to 10:00 PM PST
Where
Hood Canal/Kitsap Peninsula forecast zone

Flood, Southwest Interior

When
March 20, 1:00 AM PST to 10:00 PM PST
Where
Southwest Interior forecast zone

What these are

Flood
Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Washington in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Washington, March 1997

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5596644, 5596645, 5596646, 5596647, 5596648.