Had enough of the rain in Whatcom County? Forecasters say it may get worse
Days of drenching rain in the Whatcom County lowlands and heavy snow in the North Cascades means there’s a growing threat of flooding, landslides and avalanches, meteorologists are saying.
It’s part of a series of storms that will sweep the Northwest through Saturday before a cold front brings the possibility of snow next week.
“The first frontal system will move through today, with river flooding and snow accumulation in the mountains,” the National Weather Service said Tuesday, Jan. 7, in its online briefing.
Rain is expected again Wednesday, Jan. 8, and there’s a chance of rain showers or snow flurries in the lowlands on Thursday, Jan. 9, but no accumulation is expected.
Heavier rain is expected Friday, Jan. 10, with clearing by Saturday, Jan. 11.
Meanwhile:
▪ Nearly 2 inches of rain has fallen since Sunday at Bellingham International Airport, according to online measurements.
▪ More rain has fallen inland, with amateur meteorologists measuring about 3 inches of rain at sites near Deming over the past day, according to the online site CoCoRaHS.
▪ Mt. Baker Ski Area was reporting nearly 2 feet of snow over the past two days at its website, and more than 4 feet of snow has fallen since Friday.
All this rain and snow means that lowland hills are primed for landslides, according to the National Weather Service.
In the mountains, the threat of avalanches is “high” in the Mount Baker backcountry, according to the Northwest Avalanche Center.
Officials at the ski area were doing avalanche control, the website said Tuesday.
An inch to 4 inches of rain is expected through Saturday in the lowlands, and Whatcom County rivers are expected to rise past flood stage:
▪ On the south forth of the Nooksack River at Saxon Bridge, waters are expected to crest above flood stage Wednesday.
▪ On the Nooksack River at North Cedarville near Deming, the river is expected to crest about a foot past flood stage on Wednesday.
▪ At Ferndale, the Nooksack was expected to crest Wednesday just below moderate flood stage of 20 feet.
With localized flooding, roads could be closed in low-lying areas, said Joe Rutan, Whatcom County engineer and assistant public works director.
“We are expecting road closures due to flooding,” Rutan said Tuesday in an email.
“Right now most roads are being impacted with water over roadway, such as Slater Road. Due to high tide being about noon (Tuesday) we expect that the water will continue to rise and Slater will be closed within the next few hours, potentially for a few days as rain water works its way down the river system,” Rutan said.
“River gauge predictions show the river hitting minor flood stage this evening. The river gauge predictions we are seeing would potentially cause the closing of several roads near the river including Hannagan north of the bridge over the Nooksack,” he said.
