Lowland snow a possibility as cold snap arrives in Whatcom. Here’s when to expect it
Bellingham and parts of lowland Whatcom County could see their first snowfall early next week, as frigid air chases an atmospheric river of rain that’s poised to drench Western Washington this weekend.
But it’s too soon to predict snow with certainty, despite the cold snap that’s heading this way, said Mary Butwin, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Seattle.
“In general, the main area of interest is this (storm) system coming this weekend,” Butwin told The Bellingham Herald.
“On the back end of that we are expecting temperatures to drop and likely to be the coldest of the season,” she said.
It’s uncertain if there will be lingering moisture from the weekend storm to produce snow or even flurries, Butwin said.
“Certainly in those hills around Bellingham I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw some flakes fall, especially in the overnight hours,” she said.
Major accumulation isn’t likely, but daytime temperatures will struggle to reach 40 degrees starting Monday, Nov. 7, and overnight temperatures will hover around the freezing mark, according to current forecasts.
Butwin said the cold air will be streaming south from Alberta and Central British Columbia just as the weekend storm is clearing.
Environment Canada, the Canadian forecasting agency, is predicting rain or snow for Abbotsford, B.C., on Sunday night, Nov. 6, and rain or flurries Monday morning, Nov. 7.
This story was originally published November 2, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
