Thousands without power in Whatcom County after overnight windstorm
About 1,000 Puget Sound Energy customers remained without power Wednesday afternoon, as another windstorm loomed Thursday and crews continued to work on getting power restored.
National Weather Services meteorologists issued a wind advisory from 11 a..m. to 7 p.m. Thursday for south winds at 15 to 25 mph with gusts to 45 mph. A flood warning was issued for Ferndale as the Nooksack River rose toward minor flood stage of 18 feet.
The possibility of landslides remained an issue with waterlogged ground.
Up to an inch of rain was possible in Bellingham and the Whatcom County lowlands. Snow was forecast in the North Cascades, with snow levels ranging from 4,000 feet to 6,000 feet.
It was snowing at Mt. Baker Ski Area on Wednesday, but the resort remained closed with only a 13 inch base.
In any event, the Mount Baker Highway is closed at milepost 35 with several slides blocking the roadway, Aaccording to the Washington State Department of Transportation.
“Crews will continue to assess damage and make repairs as it is safe to do so. Due to the weather-related nature of this closure, no estimated opening date has been determined,” WSDOT said online.
Earlier Wednesday, about 5,000 electrical customers were without power in Whatcom County, after strong winds overnight from a series of storms that have battered Western Washington for more than a week.
Winds gusting to 30 mph and higher affected a total of about 145,000 Puget Sound Energy customers throughout the region, according to the PSE website.
Hardest-hit areas include Whidbey Island and southern and western Whatcom County, where outages were reported from the Alger and Lake Samish areas to Birch Bay and Point Roberts.
“The third severe weather event in just over a week is now impacting our service area. The heavy rain and strong winds that moved in early this morning have intensified already saturated soil conditions, causing trees to fall and creating widespread power outages,” PSE said at its website.
Record rain of 1.24 inches fell in Bellingham on Tuesday, breaking the mark of 0.82 inches for the date set in 2002. It was the second day of record rainfall in a week, adding to a monthly total of 6.23 inches. Average December rainfall is 4.33 inches.
Trees, branches and pine needles littered roads across Whatcom County.
Several roads in Bellingham and Whatcom County remained closed Wednesday because of standing water or other damage from recent flooding.
“Watch for downed limbs, debris and power lines, especially in wooded or rural areas. Slow down, stay alert, and never drive over downed power lines,” the Whatcom County Public Works Department said on its Facebook page.
Washington State Department of Transportation officials also warned of roadway hazards.
“We know it’s windy out there, but our crews are out working hard to clear debris and make our roads safe for all your traveling needs. Please do your part and be alert, slow down and be safe out there,” WSDOT tweeted.
This story was originally published December 17, 2025 at 8:12 AM.
