SEATTLE - A warm, windy Pacific storm dumped heavy rain Monday on Western Washington, killing an elk hunter and prompting warnings of record flooding on a handful of rivers.

National Guardsmen were dispatched to rescue some northwest Washington residents believed cut off by rising waters.

More than 6 inches of rain fell in 24 hours in some areas, the National Weather Service reported.

Residents of low-lying areas near rivers were encouraged to leave, as some rivers were expected to surpass flood stage by more than 10 feet. They included the Snohomish River near Monroe and the Skykomish River near Gold Bar, both northeast of Seattle.

Gov. Chris Gregoire declared a state of emergency for 18 counties, authorizing use of guardsmen and allowing state emergency management officials to coordinate state assistance to counties in the flood path.

The proclamation covers Chelan, Clallam, Clark, Cowlitz, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Lewis, Mason, Okanogan, Pacific, Pierce, Skagit, Snohomish, Thurston, Wahkiakum and Whatcom counties.

In a sign of the seriousness of the flooding danger, Mount Vernon put out a call for volunteers to assist with building a 1,400-foot long sandbag wall to save the downtown business area.

Meanwhile, Gregoire is urging all residents to take precautions against the bad weather, and to avoid submerged roadways and other hazards when outside.

The proclamation directs state government agencies to support emergency responses in the counties. It also authorizes the Washington National Guard to activate its resources.

The National Guard has been requested by Skagit County Emergency officials to assist with evacuations. Up to 200 guardsmen will be dispatched.

The National Weather Service has raised flood warning from "major" to "record severity" for six Western Washington rivers as relentless heavy rain continues to pour on the Northwest, causing widespread flooding and evacuations in several cities.

Forecasters say Western Washington should brace for some of the most severe flooding in years. Whatcom County has declared a state of emergency to deal with flooding caused by heavy rains, and quickly rising river waters have flooded out Snohomish County residents. Six homes have already been evacuated in the Robe Valley community east of Granite Falls, and sandbagging and evacuations have begun in Sultan, where acres of land are submerged in water.

The Lewis County sheriff's office is advising residents of Packwood and Randle to prepare for evacuation as the Cowlitz River reaches flood stage.

The heavy rain has virtually closed Mount Rainier National Park. Several roads and campgrounds are threatened by flooding and mudslides. The main park road from the Nisqually entrance to Paradise is closed. Highway 123 also is closed due to rock slides. Park employees at Longmire were told to leave while the road is still passable. The Park Service said the only road into the park that is still open is Highway 410 over Chinook Pass.

The Mount Baker-Snoqualmie and Olympic National Forests are asking visitors to stay away for the next three days. The heavy rain storm is likely causing washouts and landslides.

The weather is going to get worse before it gets better.

"The bottom line is the heaviest period of 24-hour rainfall is yet to come," said Doug McDonnal, NOAA senior forecaster. "This is going to cause widespread flooding."

The National Weather Service predicts "one of the most significant flooding events" since 1995 and have issued flooding warnings for the following rivers: the Bogachiel, Carbon, Cowlitz, Elwha, Nisqually, Nooksack, Puyallup, Satsop, Skagit, Skokomish, Skykomish, Snohomish, Snoqualmie, Stehekin, Stillaguamish,Tolt and White.

Snohomish, Skykomish, Skagit, Stillaguamish, Cowlitz and Carbon rivers are at "record severity" levels. A few rivers were expected to surpass flood stage by as much as 10 feet, including the Snohomish near Monroe and the Skykomish near Gold Bar.

SkyKING

Flood waters surround a home in the Sultan, Wash. area. Nov. 6, 2006.

All Snohomish County rivers are already at or above flood stage, and King County emergency crews are concerned about the Snoqualmie and Tolt rivers, which could reach record flood levels over the next couple of days.

With more rain on the way, officials say it's going to get worse before it gets better. Forecasts expect the heaviest rains to fall between 4 a.m. Monday to 4 a.m. Tuesday: Two to four inches of rain in the Western Washington lowlands, up to nine inches or more on the southwest slopes of the Olympics and over 11 inches in parts of the Cascades.

City dwellers will also get their share of urban flooding and standing water on the roads. For those headed to the Seahawks and Raiders football game at Qwest Field in Seattle tonight, expect to see plenty of wet players on the field. The heaviest rain may have passed by game time, but moderate to heavy rain is expected with some wind.

Hunter swept by Cowlitz River

Andy McDonald, a 20-year-old man from Seattle, has been found deceased. McDonald was swept down river earlier Monday morning after his vehicle slid off the road into the raging waters of the Cowlitz River. The hunter was found deceased inside of his vehicle, which was located in the middle of the river and was subsequently pulled out.

A group of elk hunters was being evacuated when McDonald backed into a riverbank, which collapsed and pushed the man's car into the river.

Gray Harbor fire district officials were encouraging farmers to move their animals to higher ground because of flooding forecast on the Satsop and Chehalis rivers. Coastal residents are also preparing for a high tide tomorrow afternoon.

A large mudslide near Skykomish, northeast of Seattle, blocked eastbound lanes of U.S. Highway 2, a major east-west route across Washington, while a mudslide earlier Monday near Tacoma delayed an Amtrak passenger train.

Emergency teams spring into action

Corps emergency management teams began preparing late Sunday for flood assignments, especially in the most threatened areas in Snohomish, Skagit and Whatcom counties, which extend north of Seattle to the Canadian border.

The corps' Western Washington emergency management operation, the largest in the nation, had been planning to conduct sandbag training in Skagit County, but the onset of the storm made it the real thing, agency spokeswoman Nola Leyde said.

"We are looking at a very significant storm," Leyde said.

Residents in Snohomish County who need sandbags can pick up supplies at several locations.  Bags are available at the Darrington Fire Department, Oso Mill, Robe Fire Station, Sultan Old Duty Hall and the Snohomish Fire Station on Maple Street.  You're asked to bring your own shovels and musclepower.

King County has activated its emergency coordination center to deal with flooding on local rivers. People in the flood-prone areas are urged to keep emergency supplies on hand.  Officials also urge special precautions for the elderly, people with disabilities and pets.

In the King County town of North Bend, about 30 miles east of Seattle, the Snoqualmie River slopped over a levee, prompting emergency officials to urge residents of two neighborhoods to evacuate, county spokesman David Tushin said Monday night. He could not estimate how many people might be affected.

A less serious flood watch was issued for the less populated eastern slopes of the Cascade Range, and wind warnings were issued for gusts to 45 mph in much of Eastern Washington and to nearly 60 mph west of the Cascades.

Forecasters say the the warm-weather rainstorms are propelled by air currents from Hawaii in a pattern known as the "Pineapple Express."

KING 5's Chris Daniels and Tonya Mosley contributed to this report.