Snow forecast again for Whatcom. This time, it could stay awhile
Unseasonably cold temperatures next week could bring snow to Bellingham and lowland Whatcom County, even with the March 1 start of meteorological spring less than two weeks away.
Low pressure high in the atmosphere along with a north wind could funnel arctic air through the Fraser River Valley and into Western Washington, said meteorologist Carly Kovacik at the National Weather Service in Seattle.
“This will open the door for possible lowland snow. It is too far out to try and pinpoint snow amounts or anything like that but the potential for accumulating lowland snow certainly exists,” Kovacik said in the online forecast discussion.
“For now, (forecast models) show the best chance for lowland accumulations to be Tuesday night and Wednesday (Feb. 21 and 22). It will also get chilly with highs struggling to reach 40 by Wednesday,” she said.
Normal daytime temperatures are around 50 degrees for mid-February in Bellingham, with overnight lows in the mid-30s.
Low temperatures next week could dip well below freezing.
In the meantime, rain is forecast this weekend in Bellingham and the Whatcom lowlands, along with snow for the mountains.
That’s good news both for winter sports enthusiasts and those who rely on Nooksack River water in summer.
A report form the Natural Resources Conservation Service shows that snowpack in the North Cascades was 95% of normal on Thursday, Feb. 16.
This story was originally published February 16, 2023 at 10:48 AM.
