Snow-cold air is trapped in Whatcom’s interior after a snowy weekend. Here’s what that means
Freezing rain or snow-cold air trapped in the interior of Whatcom County could lead to more snow Monday morning, Feb. 15., according to the morning forecast by the National Weather Service. “Cold air trapped in Cascade foothills could create localized freezing rain this morning,” according to the forecast.
Overall for the region, the weather service forecast temperatures continuing to warm today with highs in the upper 30s and lower 40s.
“We are beginning to steer clear of the winter weather here in the lowlands,” according to John Gargett, deputy director of the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office Division of Emergency Management, in a Monday morning email.
“Periods of rain will likely persist into Monday as the workweek begins with milder high temps. Rainfall should carry into the evening before petering out in the overnight hours. Overcast skies will help to insulate the surface, allowing temps to remain above freezing for Monday night. A few showers may linger into Tuesday but should dry out in the afternoon,” Gargett wrote.
Snowfall totals recorded in Bellingham by the National Weather Service ranged up to eight inches in the 48 hours from Saturday, Feb. 13, to Monday morning. Ferndale reported slightly more than four inches of snow in the same period.
With this weekend’s snow event depositing up to ten inches of snow in places around Bellingham, according to an email from spokeswoman Amy Cloud Sunday, Feb. 14.
Sunday evening, the Whatcom County Public Works Tweeted “Please continue to stay home if you can,” noting some roads are compact snow and ice while some areas are mostly bare pavement.
“Please know our crews are doing everything they can to keep main arterial and collector roads passable. We focus on these main roads first, and as conditions allow, we work on lower volume roads. Crews will continue to work through the night. Stay home if you can on Monday.”
There were 46 collisions in Whatcom County during the weekend storm handled by the Washington State Patrol, Trooper Rocky Oliphant Tweeted Monday.
Washington State Department of Transportation camera along Interstate 5 in Whatcom County showed wet pavement Monday morning.
