Update: Whatcom County’s Halloween weather forecast frightful amid flood watch
Wind and rain from a plume of moisture called an atmospheric river is aimed at Western Washington, just in time for Halloween festivities.
Updated forecasts call for significant rainfall in Whatcom County, as much as 2 inches in the lowlands over two days, prompting the National Weather Service to issue a flood watch for the Bellingham area.
“Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations. Where heavy rain occurs, the relatively high rain rates could produce flash flooding/debris flows on the more sensitive burn scars. It could also cause ponding or nuisance flooding in urban areas and small streams where drainage is poor or drains are clogged by leaves,” the weather service said online.
Gusty winds will pick up around midday Friday. Rain is expected to start by late Friday afternoon and could be heavy at times through Saturday, according to an online briefing from the National Weather Service in Seattle.
Between 1 and 2 inches of rain is expected through early Sunday in the Bellingham area.
A wind advisory is in effect from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday for southeast winds at 15 to 25 mph, gusting to 50 mph. A hydrologic alert is in effect from Friday through Sunday for Whatcom, Skagit, and other Western Washington counties, warning of moderate to heavy rainfall.
Sharp rises are expected on area rivers, including the Nooksack River. Flooding is not expected this weekend, with the Nooksack cresting well below flood stage in Nugents Corner, Everson and Ferndale, according to the Northwest River Forecast Center.
“This will bring a marginal risk of rapid onset flooding to the region. Any elevated rainfall rates that do occur may result in localized nuisance urban/small stream flooding in areas of poor/blocked drainage especially given gusty winds bringing down additional leaves,” the weather service said.
Winds gusting at 35-40 mph are possible for the western Whatcom County lowlands, enough to cause a few scattered power outages.
“Southwesterly winds will increase ahead of the front early on Friday. Winds will peak late Friday evening into early Saturday morning as the front moves through. Winds will switch to the west behind the front and begin to ease throughout the day Saturday,” the weather service said.
This story was originally published October 30, 2025 at 1:25 PM.
