A flood warning remains in effect for large swaths of Northwest Oregon and Southwest Washington on Friday as heavy rainfall from an atmospheric river continues to batter the region.

Rising waters are prompting some lane closures on major highways in some areas — like U.S. 101 and Oregon 6 in areas of the coast and key arteries connecting to the Willamette Valley, such as U.S. 20.

Winter weather warnings are in effect on Cascade Mountain passes as well, with up to a foot of snow expected in some areas.

The double whammy of flood warnings and snow advisories should prompt travelers to check the National Weather Service and state traffic cameras before hitting the road for holiday travel.

According to the National Weather Service, less populated areas of Clackamas County are of particular concern Friday, including the Sandy River near Bull Run and areas along the Clackamas River. Sandy River flooding also could affect east Multnomah County near Troutdale.

Evacuation notices are in effect for areas along the Clackamas River. Most pressingly, the closer-in and low-lying areas from Interstate 205 on the river out to Milo McIver State Park are classified as Level 2, be set to evacuate if needed.

The regional flood watch is wide-ranging, with advisories in place for the Coast Range, mid-Willamette Valley and beyond. The North and Central Coast could see rising waters coinciding with high tides from 11 a.m to 1 p.m. on Friday.

The weather service notes that the flood watch is in effect until Saturday afternoon. Less rain is expected on Friday, but the cumulative impact of days of rain could still pose ongoing issues. According to the weather service, many rivers and streams are still expected to rise on Friday morning “and slow responding rivers could see rises into Saturday afternoon.”

Saturated ground and high rivers could stick around for a while, forecasters noted Friday morning, and “any additional rain will slow receding of the water and continue the potential for flooding.

Forecasters note the Cowlitz River near Kelso, Wash., is still rising.

As of Friday morning, several thousand people were experiencing power outages in the region. According to Portland General Electric, more than 6,000 customers were affected as of 6:54 a.m. Pacific Power also had more than 3,000 outages reported.

This post will be updated

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News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2025/12/19/oregon-sw-washington-rain-flood-watches-rivers-rising-road-closures/