West Yorkshire Police declared a major incident after responding to what it said was the “worst flooding in 70 years” in the area.
Some 100 soldiers have been deployed to the county where they are helping emergency services in the hardest hit areas of Calderdale and Leeds.
In Calderdale the areas of Hebden Bridge, Todmorden, Elland, Brighouse, Sowerby Bridge and Bradford were badly hit.
In Mytholmroyd an elderly man was hauled through the sunroof of his 4×4 by rescuers as flood waters reached to just below the roof of his vehicle, one of dozens of rescues carried out across northern England in the last 24 hours.
Wildlife has also suffered from the flooding. A flock of sheep was spotted stranded on a ridge next to the flooded River Wharfe between Ulleskelf and Cawood in North Yorkshire, their fields turned into a vast lake.
In Leeds, the Kirkstall Road area of the city is also badly affected, with flooding also reported in The Calls area.
River levels on the River Aire peaked last night and are now falling, although around 24 road closures were still in place there this morning.
But the Environment Agency has issued a flood warning for the Lock Lane area because of the volume of water travelling into the River Aire at Castleford from further up the river and from the River Calder.
With the washlands in Castleford already full, there is a flood risk for those living in Lock Lane, West Yorkshire Police said, and residents are urged to take “precautionary” steps in case they need to leave their homes.
Assistant Chief Constable Russ Foster said: “As a precaution, we would urge residents in the area to consider moving valuables to upstairs rooms or places of safety and think about what they may need to do and what they need to take with them, if there is a requirement to evacuate their homes at short notice.
“I wish to stress that this message is precautionary. We continue to advise people in homes which have been flooded to stay safe and try to stay upstairs.”
In York, the River Ouse is currently 4.8 metres above its summer level, the city council said. Levels are not expected to peak until Monday lunchtime, when they are expected to reach 5 metres.