![Flooding at and around Harvey Field [Photo: Meg Godlewski | FLYING]](https://flyingmag1.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-23-at-9.20.47-AM.png?width=1009&height=756)
It has been a tense week for people living in Washington state, where back-to-back atmospheric rivers have drenched the region, overloading rivers, breaching levees, and triggering massive flooding in communities and around local airports.
The water has begun to recede in some areas, but not so much in others. And there is more rain in the forecast.
The valley west of First Air Field (W16) in Monroe Airport looked more like a lake Monday morning, but the field was dry.
There was more green field than brown water during an over flight of Harvey Field (S43) in Snohomish County. The privately-owned airport north of Seattle is known for its skydiving operation and robust general aviation community. The airport is located near the Snohomish River, and when the water began to rise and communities were flooding, pilots scrambled to the airport and either flew airplanes to other airports or moved them to the highest ground on the property.
Over the weekend as the waters began to recede, the airplanes were relocated to their original parking spots and hangars, but pilots are remaining vigilant. Those with smartphones are getting regular flood warnings from county officials, and it’s become a serious game to determine if your airport will be affected.
Flooding is still a problem north and south of Auburn Municipal Airport (S50), where the White River and the failure of a levee resulted in the flooding of residential neighborhoods and industrial areas near the airport. Airport officials encouraged local pilots to monitor airport cameras and added the airport was safe; however, there was some pooling in the infield between the taxiway and runway.
As of Monday morning the area east and south of the airport remained under water. So many road closures made travel difficult. Highway 167, which was one of the main ways to get to Auburn Airport, was shut down for several days due to the flooding Green River. As of late this weekend, the northbound stretch was reopened.
Meanwhile, the Cedar River, which lies just east of Renton Municipal Airport (KRNT), also reached flood stage during the heavy rains, and there were emergency evacuations because of the danger of flash flooding. Businesses and homes near the airport were evacuated, but there was no report of damage at the airport, although some pilots took care to reposition their aircraft to higher ground.
On Monday it was not so much rain that pilots were contending with but wind as a cold front moved into the area.
