PBOT’s Clint Anderson drags a manhole cover back into place after clearing a plugged storm drain causing flooding on N Basin Avenue near Emerson Street in Portland, Ore., Dec. 9, 2025. PBOT has ten vacuum trucks, and have cleared 201 plugged storm drains across the city since Friday, Dec. 5.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
An atmospheric river has already dumped several inches of rain in northwest Oregon and Southwest Washington since Monday. Rain and strong winds will continue through at least Wednesday night, according to the National Weather Service.
Flood watches and warnings were in effect for much of the area throughout Tuesday. The heavy rains brought an elevated threat for urban, small stream and river flooding.
Drivers should continue to look out for water on the roadways and potential landslides in steep terrain.
Several schools in the Coast Range and along the Cascades started late due to flooding issues on Tuesday. The Seaside and Toledo school districts were closed for the day.
Check the latest delays and closures here
Portland General Electric reported power outages impacting more than 3,000 customers in the Portland metro area Tuesday morning, mainly in Clackamas County. That number was down to about 600 customers by 12:30 p.m. No other widespread outages were reported in the area.
Check outages in Oregon | Washington
Flooding in Southwest Washington
Southwest Washington communities near the mouth of the Columbia River have been especially hard hit by flooding, according to the National Weather Service.
The Grays River, which flows into the Columbia, reached major flood stage Monday night, threatening homes and other buildings in the small community of Rosburg, Washington
Two years ago, the Coast Guard had to rescue five people from Rosburg after the river topped 16 feet. This time around, it topped 32 feet, flooding lowland areas and roads.
“The whole Grays River Valley is full of water, and so are all the side roads. Everything is full,” said Mary Steller, who has lived in the area for 31 years and is a pianist at a Rosburg church.
“They canceled school because there’s just too many dangerous roads, and you can’t really drive through.”
People in the area know to be prepared, said Rosburg resident Pearl Blackburn.
“When the water rises, you need to stay put until it finishes and hopefully you won’t have any medical emergencies.”
Neighbors have been checking in on each other in the community of about 300 people, where emergency response crews are largely volunteers, she said.
By low tide mid-day Tuesday, water had receded some, but the threat was not over.
“I’m told there’s another cycle that’s going to come through, and so it will hit high tide, I believe, at 4 a.m. Wednesday morning, and then hopefully it will go down,” Blackburn said.
The Naselle River, slightly inland from Rosburg in Wakiakum County, also reached major flood stage Monday night. The National Weather Service encouraged people to avoid driving through flooded roads.
High water closes roads in Clackamas County
Clackamas County officials are warning residents about high water in the low-lying areas that are typically impacted during heavy rain events.
The National Weather Service issued flood warnings for several areas, including Johnson Creek, which neared minor flood stage in several spots Tuesday morning. Rusk Road, Telford Road, Southeast Folsom Road and South Wildcat Road were all closed Tuesday due to high water.
Clackamas County Disaster Management Director Daniel Nibouar said residents should use caution when traveling, or even when planning to travel.
“It’s important to take as many precautions as you can now and stay alert to the weather forecast,” Nibouar said.
Water can be deeper than it appears, and it only takes about 12 inches of moving water to carry away a small vehicle.
Authorities are also asking people to avoid walking through flooded areas. The water can be contaminated with oil or raw sewage, or could be hiding hazardous debris.
Sandbag locations and safety information for Clackamas County are available here.
The Father’s Heart Street Ministry in Oregon City announced it would be opening its inclement weather shelter overnight.
Road closures along the Oregon Coast
Landslides and flooding caused issues in several places, including along U.S. Highway 101 Tuesday morning.
The highway was closed in both directions at Tillamook due to high water. The southbound lanes of U.S. 101 were closed at Neskowin because of a landslide. And a conditional closure was put in place south of Seaside, where the road was closed to low-clearance vehicles.
Get the latest traffic updates at TripCheck.com
In the small town of Nehalem, residents are used to soggy winters. But this latest storm stranded many drivers along the Oregon Coast. In some places, cars stalled or even sank as drivers attempted to pass through flooded roads.
Lindy Scovell has lived in Nehalem for 75 years. He was out walking near his home when he saw a truck submerged on the road.
“Apparently, the truck tried to go through the water,” Scovell said. “It was deep enough that the truck actually floated and drifted off before it finally filled up and sank.”
A truck sinks in a flooded road at the intersection of Northfork and McDonald Rd. near Nehalem, Ore. on Dec. 9, 2025.
Rachel Miller-Howard / Northwest News Network
Officials with the Nehalem Bay Fire and Rescue District say the driver was able to get out of the truck and is OK.
As high water issues build up along the coastline, traffic officials are reminding people not to drive through standing water.
Despite the heavy precipitation through the workweek, much-needed snow is still not expected for major ski areas.
“Snow levels will gradually lower into the weekend but remain high enough that little to no snow accumulation is expected for Cascades through the weekend,” NWS forecasters said.
Northwest News Network’s Rachel Miller-Howard contributed to this story.
Related: Flood preparedness: Tips on staying safe during severe weather
