Weather pattern looks to bring more rain and possible flooding to Whatcom. Here’s when
Spring in Bellingham and Whatcom County could bring more rain and possible flooding, according to long-range forecasts from the National Weather Service and the private forecasting agency AccuWeather.
AccuWeather issued its forecast for meteorological spring — the months of March, April and May — on Tuesday, calling for “wet, flooding” in the Northwest.
Although the Northwest is seeing a break from the heavy rain and snow that battered Western Washington in November and December, that could change soon, said AccuWeather meteorologist Paul Pastelok.
“The stormy pattern is projected to resume later in February and into March, delivering much-needed precipitation to (California),” Pastelok said in Accuweather’s report. “However, this will not be a drought-ending scenario that many are hoping for, especially if the storms take a more northerly track. This would direct the storms into the Pacific Northwest and away from Southern California and the interior Southwest.”
Astronomical spring starts with the vernal equinox on March 20, but NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center also issues a forecast for meteorological spring.
It sees the strong La Niña pattern continuing, which usually means colder temperatures and more rain in the Northwest.
NOAA’s outlook for March-April-May sees a greater chance of below-normal temperatures and above-normal precipitation over the next three months.
This story was originally published February 3, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
