Floodwaters of the Clackamas River pictured on Dec. 19, 2025 at the Carver Mobile Home Ranch park in Damascus, Ore.
Saskia Hatvany / OPB
River water swirled around garage doors and bedroom windows as it flowed through the Carver Mobile Home Ranch park in Clackamas County Friday morning.
Homes in the park were among many partially underwater after heavy rainfall forced the Clackamas River and other waterways to swell and flood areas southeast of Portland. Thousands remain under evacuation notice in Clackamas County.
Others living near the river are being told to get ready for a possible evacuation.
It comes as 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.
“The Clackamas River in the last 24 hours, we’ve been seeing three to four inches [of rain], and in some cases even higher amounts southeast of Estacada,” Sebastian Westerink, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Portland, told OPB Friday morning. “Those amounts are certainly contributing to the rapid rise of the river.”
Curtis Gillette, 63, has lived in the Damascus area his whole life. On Friday morning he traveled to near where the Clackamas River flooded homes at the Carver Mobile Home Ranch park.
“I feel tragic for the people that are dealing with it,” Gillette said. “They are under dire need right now to keep themselves safe and their belongings safe.”
The river jumped the banks, Gillette said, and water rose higher than he’d ever seen in the area. After surveying the mobile home park, Gillette planned to go to a friend’s house up the road.
“I’m going to go check on him, but I think he’s on a high enough ground.”
Additionally, rising waters are causing 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 signal to travelers to check the National Weather Service and state traffic cameras before hitting the road for holiday travel.
Onlookers watch the flooded Clackamas River on Friday, Dec. 19, 2025 in Damascus, Ore.
Saskia Hatvany / OPB
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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