It’s not so much if Whatcom will have a white Christmas, but how white do you want it?
It’s not so much a question of if Whatcom County will have a white Christmas this year, it’s more a question of how much of the white stuff should we expect over the holiday weekend.
The National Weather Service on Tuesday, Dec. 21, tweeted out a graphic that shows that Bellingham has a 75% chance of receiving at least one inch of snow between 4 p.m. Friday, Dec. 24, and 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 25.
An inch not enough for you? The chance of at least two inches of snow falling in during that same time frame is 50-50 according to the graphic.
Still not enough? The chances of at least four inches of snow in Bellingham is 10% and six or more inches has a 5% chance of happening, the National Weather Service predicts.
Percentages jump for the three-day weekend (4 p.m. Friday to 4 p.m. Monday) to 95% for at least one inch, 70% for at least four inches, 55% for six or more inches and 10% for more than a foot of snow in Bellingham.
Throughout Western Washington, the National Weather Services is predicting a more than 50% chance of three-day snow totals over the weekend to top four inches.
The National Weather Service’s forecast released Tuesday morning predicts unsettled weather through the week before colder weather and lowland snow arrive over the weekend in Western Washington.
Additional systems are expected to bring gusty winds, lowland rain and Mountain snow to Western Washington Tuesday evening through Friday, but temperatures will turn much cooler over the weekend with the Fraser Outflow redeveloping Friday, increasing the chances for lowland snow over the weekend.
The chilly temperatures are expected to persist into next week, according to the forecast.
“While typically we have an abundance of moisture, but not enough cold air for lowland snow, the pattern will shift to one of abundant cold, but limited moisture over the weekend,” the National Weather Service forecast discussion reads. “Colder air should push south in earnest overnight Friday and into early Saturday. By early Christmas Day, temperatures should range from the mid 20s north to mid 30s south.
“Lingering moisture will fall as a rain/snow mix transitioning towards snow by early Saturday. This will give way to much colder weather over the weekend with potential for highs to struggle to reach freezing, and overnight lows in the 10s/20s across the region.”
Additional snow chances will be in the forecast Sunday and Monday, the discussion reads.
“It is likely that western Washington will experience much colder weather, and it appears likely accumulating lowland snow will fall as well. With the exact amount of moisture in question after the colder air arrives in question, any lowland snow amounts will depend on how much can linger around,” the discussion said.
Environment Canada forecasts for Abbotsford, B.C., mirror what the National Weather Service is predicting, showing temperatures warming slightly Wednesday, before cooling to below freezing Thursday night through Monday morning, with snow or flurries expected throughout.
The North Cascades, including the Mt. Baker Ski Area, could see as much as 18 to 24 inches of snow Wednesday through Wednesday night.
