Whatcom County waits for rain to wash away the snow
Much of lowland Whatcom County woke up Saturday, Jan. 18, to snow, but not new snow.
The National Weather Service’s mid-day report called rain likely for Saturday and Sunday.
It was 31 degrees before 5 a.m. at Bellingham International Airport, but had reached 48 degrees by the afternoon.. At the Vancouver, B.C., airport, Environment Canada reported it was 40 degrees and raining Saturday afternoon.
Northern Whatcom County was expected to see its most significant warming by Sunday, when high temperatures could approach 50 degrees.
Quick snowmelt could cause drainage problems, and Bellingham crews were preparing for that possibility, Amy Cloud, spokeswoman for the Bellingham Department of Public Works, said Friday, Jan. 17.
“Crews are starting to prepare for localized flooding that is likely to occur from catch basins that have been buried in snow,” Cloud said in an email.
School districts were closed around Whatcom County on Friday and will be off Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.
Mt. Baker Ski Area was open with 15 inches of new snow for a total of 209 inches of snow in 18 days, officials reported at their website.
Did you get a great photo of the snow you’d like to share? Upload it to bhamherald.com/submit-photo.
This story was originally published January 18, 2020 at 5:56 AM.
