Here’s what conditions on Whatcom roads look like after Monday’s record rain, snow
Main roads were plowed and passable with a few icy and slushy patches as a storm drenched lowland Whatcom County and then turned to snow on the first day of winter.
But the weather forecast calls for sunny skies and temperatures around 40 degrees for the next few days, meaning the season’s first lowland snowfall isn’t likely to last.
Traffic was light Tuesday morning, Dec. 22, because schools are on holiday break and many people are working from home because of the new coronavirus pandemic.
Power was out for about 3,000 Puget Sound Energy customers Tuesday morning, down from a peak of about 9,000, as trees and limbs weighted with snow and ice fell and struck power lines.
Government agencies used social media to warn drivers that cold temperatures froze the wet, slushy snow in spots overnight.
“Slick, slushy roadway,” Bellingham Police tweeted. “Standing water on roadway. Please clear snow off windows, slow way down, give room to stop, use caution.”
Several car wrecks were reported late Monday and early Tuesday, according to the emergency services app Pulse Point.
A record 1.82 inches of precipitation fell — including rain and snow— breaking the mark of 1.48 inches from 1972.
Many lowland areas saw 3 to 4 inches of snow.
Mt. Baker Ski Area reported 7 inches of snow in the past 24 hours, and that its parking lots were nearly full with skiers at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday.
Mount Baker Highway was open and the road was bare and wet with compact snow and ice in places, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation website. Traction tires were advised.
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This story was originally published December 22, 2020 at 10:28 AM.
