Whatcom wakes up to snow on the last day of January
Icy conditions were reported early Tuesday morning, Jan. 31, as light snow fell in Bellingham and lowland Whatcom County.
No significant accumulation was expected, according to forecasts from the National Weather Service in Seattle.
Streets were wet but mostly clear of snow in downtown Bellingham and no traffic issues were immediately reported.
But snow was sticking to roads north of Bellingham and users on social media said they had encountered black ice on Interstate 5 north of Bellingham.
“Plenty of folks sliding around up here on the Guide Meridian and the East Pole Road,” said Riley Sweeney, spokesman for the city of Ferndale, in a Twitter message.
No Whatcom County schools had posted information about closures at 8 a.m.
Nooksack Valley School District posted a notice that all schools were on time.
“Please be careful as roads may be slick in places and be patient for buses as they may be slightly off their normal time,” the district said at its website.
Whatcom Transportation Authority tweeted that Flex service in Birch Bay and Blaine was suspended at 8:15 a.m. because of the snow.
Several car wrecks were reported on I-5 and on Whatcom County roads, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation and the emergency services app Pulse Point.
“Light snow amounts have been recorded across Whatcom County this morning. Make sure to take it slow if you’re headed out,” the National Weather Service tweeted.
Less than an inch of snow had accumulated in most areas around Bellingham by 9 a.m.
WSDOT cameras showed wet pavement that was clear of snow on I-5 through Bellingham, from Lake Samish north to around Ferndale.
Snow tracks were visible on I-5 near Grandview Road in Ferndale.
Some snow was sticking on Guide Meridian at Main Street in Lynden.
Bellingham International Airport remained open. “Crews are currently on-site clearing the airfield. Please contact your airline directly for flight status information,” it said on Twitter.
Light snow or flurries were forecast for Tuesday amid a cold snap driven by arctic winds blowing from British Columbia.
A warm front was slated to move through Northwest Washington later Tuesday and push temperatures above freezing and closer to seasonal norms.
Light rain was predicted for later Tuesday.
This story was originally published January 31, 2023 at 8:02 AM.
