Winter arrives with a vengeance as storms line up to drench Whatcom County into the holidays
Bellingham and Whatcom County residents can expect a wet and windy start to winter as the first in a parade of storms hits Saturday.
Rain and gusty winds will batter Western Washington repeatedly over the next week, the National Weather Service said in an online briefing Thursday afternoon.
“Very active weather with no less than six wet and warm weather systems over the next seven days. At this time, each individual storm looks pretty typical, however they will be arriving every 24 to 36 hours and that could result in cascading impacts and a gradual increase in the risk of flooding and landslides,” meteorologist Anna Lindeman said online.
The strongest of the storm systems is expected Thursday and could last through Dec. 28, Lindeman said.
“Long-range models also continue to show potential for hazardous weather conditions that may impact travel mid-week and beyond, depending on how the forecast trends as things get closer,” she said.
In an unusual pattern for a La Niña season, the jet stream has shifted north, meaning the next two weeks are looking warmer and wetter than normal for Western Washington.
Daytime high temperatures are expected in the low 50s, with overnight lows in the mid-40s. Temperatures in the 30s and 40s are the normal range for late December in Bellingham and lowland Whatcom County.
This story was originally published December 20, 2024 at 9:59 AM.
