Flood watch issued for Whatcom as atmospheric river is set to drench region
A flood watch was issued for several Western Washington rivers, including the Nooksack in Whatcom County, as the threat of torrential rain increased from a moisture-laden storm called an atmospheric river.
About an inch or so of rain is forecast for Bellingham and the Whatcom County lowlands from Wednesday, Oct. 27, through Friday morning, Oct. 29, but some 3 to 5 inches of rain is possible for the Mount Baker wilderness, said Brent Bower, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Seattle.
“It’s a moderate atmospheric river,” said Bower, who specializes in hydrology.
“They can get pretty juicy. It’s worth monitoring,” because the storm could stall and pour even more rain across the region, he told The Bellingham Herald.
He said the storm is “notable,” but not unusual for October.
Even so, Bower said to expect minor flooding along the Nooksack River — mostly low-lying roads and pastures, but also some residential areas of Ferndale.
Forecasts from NOAA’s Advanced Hydrology Prediction Service show the Nooksack River cresting at minor flood stage on Friday morning, near Acme and Nugents Corner, and Friday afternoon at Ferndale.
Bower said that the river isn’t expected to rise enough to cause flooding in Everson and Sumas, however.
This story was originally published October 27, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
