Storm heading toward Whatcom could break dry spell with a vengeance
Whatcom County looks to get its first storm of the rainy season this weekend, one that should dampen an early October heat wave that broke or tied six daily high-temperature records.
Meanwhile, an air quality alert for smoky skies was expended through 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 20, with levels in the moderate range expected around most areas of Whatcom County.
But a “pattern-changing front” arrives Friday, Oct. 21, said meteorologist Dana Felton at the National Weather Service in Seattle.
“(Forecast) models are trending towards a wetter and stronger solution for this system,” Felton said online.
“Between little moisture for the last few months and leaves still on the trees, the breezy and possibly windy conditions for some of the area Friday could cause some impacts,” he said.
That’s not all.
Gale warnings are possible for the Salish Sea, and snow is forecast for the mountains — events that could start the seasonal closure of the road to Artist Point and the North Cascades Highway at the pass near Diablo.
It’s possible that the approaching storm system could drop more rain on Bellingham and lowland Whatcom County than the region has seen in nearly four months, Felton said.
About an inch to an inch and a half of rain is possible in the Whatcom County lowlands from Friday through Monday, and about 4 inches of snow is possible at Mount Baker, Felton said.
Only .59 inches of rain fell at Bellingham International Airport from July 1 to Sept. 30.
Normal rainfall for that period is 4.02 inches.
No rain has fallen so far in October, which is the official start of the meteorological “water year,” or rainy season.
October gets an average 3.85 inches of rain.
This story was originally published October 18, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
