POSTED: Wednesday, Nov. 04, 2009

Heavy rain heading toward Whatcom County, flooding possible

The weather is expected to change rapidly Thursday, Nov. 5, prompting the National Weather Service to issue a flood watch for Whatcom County.

A strong cold front should hit western Washington by Thursday afternoon, dropping an inch and a half of rain by Friday morning. While this much precipitation doesn't normally cause flooding, the large amounts of fallen leaves could clog storm drains, according to the National Weather Service.

On Wednesday, Nov. 4, the Nooksack River near Ferndale was well below flood stage, while near Nugents Corner it was almost above its banks. Both sections of the river are forecasted to be above their banks by Friday.

It's possible the Nooksack may not reach flood stage, but a flood watch is warranted since heavy rains will cause the river to rise sharply, according to the National Weather Service.

Thursday's high temperature is expected to be 56 degrees with steady winds between 20 and 23 mph and gusts into the 30s. On Friday, the high temperature probably will be around 50, with winds between 14 and 17 mph.

Those planning to travel through the mountains should be prepared for snow.