Post-holiday freeze could put holiday spirits from white Whatcom Christmas on ice
Whatcom’s white Christmas remains firmly in the cards, according to the National Weather Service Thursday, but a dangerous post-holiday freeze likely will put holiday spirits on ice.
“Much colder temperatures and the potential for lowland snow remain possible over the weekend,” the National Weather Service said in its weather briefing Thursday morning, Dec. 23. “Fraser Outflow to redevelop Friday and persist into next week.”
The outflow will likely bring the “coldest air of the season” through the New Year, the briefing went on to say.
“Cold air from Canada will gradually spread southward beginning late Friday and noticeably impacting the area by early next week,” the National Weather Service reported. “By Monday, highs will likely be below freezing with low temperatures dropping into the teens and 20s. Cold air is becoming increasingly likely to linger through the New Year.”
For Bellingham, specifically, the weather services is forecasting high temperatures will most likely drop from 39 on Friday, Dec. 24, to 34 on Christmas Day, 22 on Sunday, Dec. 26, and 20 on Monday, Dec. 27, before slowly recovering to 27 by Thursday, Dec. 30.
Lows, meanwhile, will dip from 33 on Friday to 17 on Sunday and just 8 on Monday and 9 on Tuesday, the forecast shows, though there is a 10% chance those lows could dip to 0 or negative digits Monday through Wednesday.
“Very cold temperatures will impact vulnerable populations such as the homeless, pets, and those without adequate access to heating,” the National Weather Service said. “Exposed pipes may be damaged by freezing conditions. Sensitive crops/plants may be killed.”
Though conditions are likely to be dry earlier in the week, the forecasts show moisture may return late in the week while the cold air is still in place, bringing the possibility for more lowland snow, the weather service said.
But what about snow on Christmas day?
With the Fraser Outflow expected to begin developing across Whatcom County Friday, a rain/snow mix is possible in the afternoon and evening, the weather service said. Snow levels could drop as low as 400 to 800 feet in Whatcom as the colder air moves in.
On Christmas Day, there may be a rain/snow mix in the day transitioning to light snow later in the day.
“Snow amounts uncertain, but a few inches (1-4”) are reasonable at present time,” the briefing states, adding that cold, gusty north/northeast winds will continue to blow in Whatcom County.
White Christmases are rare, but not unheard of in the Pacific Northwest.
According to a National Weather Service tweet Wednesday, Dec. 23, Seattle has had snow accumulation on Christmas nine times in the past 127 years (7%), ranging from a high of 1.8 inches of snow in 1909 to a low of 0.1 inches in 1916. Seattle has seen snow accumulation three times since 2000 (14% including 2000) — 0.4 inches in 2008, 0.9 inches in 2007 and 1.0 inches in 2017.
“The most likely time frame for snowfall appears to be SAT Night thru SUN Night,” another weather service tweet read. “BOTTOM LINE: Much of the lowland could see 3-5” of snow in the most likely scenario.”
Bellingham has a 90% chance of seeing an inch or more between 4 p.m. Saturday and 4 p.m. Monday, according the tweet, while there is a 45% chance of four or more inches.
Preparing for the cold
The extreme cold is the biggest concern coming from the forecast, Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office Division of Emergency Management Director John Gargett told The Bellingham Herald in an email, especially in areas of the county still battling the impacts from the November atmospheric river storms and flooding.
“The larger concern is the cold temperatures and we are taking steps to ensure that those that have been affected by the flooding and may not have had a chance to fully insulate their homes or are in temporary housing are aware of actions to take to prepare for the cold,” Gargett wrote. “For our Temporary Housing site in Sumas we have already brought in additional heaters.
“We do not, subject to power outages, expect to have additional sheltering needs.”
To help residents prepare for the expected frigged temperatures, Gargett pointed to a FEMA winter storm information sheet, which suggests these steps to take before the weather arrives:
▪ Know the what the risks for winter storms are in the area.
▪ Prepare your home to keep out the cold with insulation, caulking and weather stripping.
▪ Pay attention to weather forecasts and warnings of freezing weather and winter storms.
▪ Gather supplies in case you need to stay home for several days without power.
▪ Create an emergency supply kit for your car with jumper cables, sand, a flashlight, warm clothes, blankets, bottled water and non-perishable snacks and keep your gas tank full.
▪ Learning the signs and treatments for frostbite and hypothermia.
With the freezing temperatures only a couple of days away, now is also a good time to make sure that space heaters and other heat sources don’t become a fire hazard.
“The magic number is at least three feet away,” Bellingham Fire Marshal Ron Richard told The Herald. “You want to keep combustible materials, such as papers and wood and plastic at least that far away from heat sources. It’s a very common thing we see. Good housekeeping is just a good practice. A lot of fires occur because combustible items are just too close to a space heater or wood stove.
“On top of that, we’ve got all the Christmas-related items. Christmas trees and presents too often get too close to a heat source and become a problem.”
Once the cold and snow arrive, FEMA suggests:
▪ Staying off the roads if possible.
▪ Limit time outside.
▪ Avoid carbon monoxide poisoning by using generators and grills outdoors away from windows.
▪ Avoid overexertion when shoveling snow to reduce the risk of heart attack.
▪ Watch for signs of frostbite and hypothermia.
▪ Check on neighbors.
“Most importantly, tell kids to remember that Santa may need an extra cup of hot chocolate!” Gargett wrote.
Knowing that the cold weather is coming a few days in advance is important to allow residents to make sure they are well prepared,” Bellingham Fire Department Assistant Chief Dave Parker said.
“People have the opportunity to stock up on food and the things they need so they don’t need to go out,” Parker said. “That’s the worst thing is having to go out.”
Protecting the vulnerable
The arrival of the extremely cold weather this weekend may push the limits of Bellingham’s ability to care for its homeless population, even though they have added more shelter space.
“That’s when our street outreach efforts take on an extra importance,” President & CEO at the Lighthouse Mission in Bellingham Hans Erchinger-Davis said in a news release. “In this type of cold, when Base Camp fills up, keeping people warm becomes a matter of life and death.”
To this point, nobody has been turned away, Erichinger-Davis said in the release.
Base Camp has beds for 200 people, according to the release, and the Lighthouse Mission overflow shelter can host up to 40 additional people.
The city of Bellingham announced that it has opened a Young Adult Winter Shelter at Civic Stadium in partnership with Northwest Youth Services that has space 25 adults between the ages of 18 and 24. Once temperatures drop below 32, adults up to age 29 will be allowed to seek emergency overnight shelter at Civic.
The Bellingham Fire Department will reach out to the homeless to let them know about the shelter options in town, Parker said, adding “We are prepared for this and any cold weather that we get.”
The Lighthouse Mission’s Outreach Team also will be checking on people living in encampments, according to the release, and will bring them supplies, such as hand warmers, winter gear, hot coffee and other needed items.
“People on the streets are in danger of frostbite and hypothermia and so much more,” Erchinger-Davis said in the release, asking for continued financial, volunteer and prayer assistance.
Thursday evening, the city of Ferndale posted a request for cold-weather shelter volunteers: “The Severe Weather Shelter will be open 12/24-12/26 from 5pm-8am at the United Church of Ferndale, located at 2034 Washington Street. They will announce further openings as soon as they are confirmed but they need more volunteers! Find out more and apply at ferndalecsc.org.”
Preparing for the snow
The Washington State Department of Transportation tweeted Wednesday morning that it’s prepared for whatever holiday weather is thrown our way.
The city of Bellingham also reported Wednesday that it also is preparing for the likely cold and snow.
“We are well prepared with vehicles, equipment, sand, brine solution and everything else we need to treat our snow routes in advance and plow them if snow accumulates,” Public Works Street Division Supervisor Brandon Brubaker said in a news release. “Getting the brine solution on the roads before snow or ice arrives makes it so much easier and more effective to plow.”
The city’s seven large sanders and snowplows, along with two de-icing trucks, will be used to prepare city streets for ice and snow, laying deicer along the city’s six snow routes before the weather turns, according to the release. If the weather turns cold enough and remains dry, the city also may use beet juice to keep ice from forming.
Once there is snow and ice on the roads, crews will use straight salt on downtown streets and around Lake Whatcom, the release states, though a 4-to-1 sand-to-salt mixture will be used elsewhere where sand can be later be swept up.
“We avoid sand in these areas to keep it from washing into critical habitats,” Brubaker said.
The city says it will prioritize highly traveled routes and those essential to police, fire and the Whatcom Transportation Authority, meaning “some residential streets may be untreated and likely slippery.”
Gargett said Whatcom County Public Works is also prepared for the impacts to roads.
Though he said the county is only expecting about an inch of snow or a little more in Bellingham, “we are expecting 2-4” in the Sumas Everson based on Environment Canada and our private weather service. If we get snow as expected we are prepared as a county to handle that.”
This story was originally published December 23, 2021 at 11:29 AM.
