Advertisement

Here’s when Whatcom County’s best chance of lowland snow will come

Snow in Bellingham and elsewhere in lowland Whatcom County remains a possibly as long as arctic air hangs around.

A low of 17 degrees Thursday, Dec. 1, broke the record of 19 from 2014, and a low of 19 degrees early Friday, Dec. 2, broke a record of 21 from 1954.

Forecasts from Environment Canada and the National Weather Service in Seattle see little chance of precipitation of any kind for the next several days, except for Friday.

That’s when Whatcom County’s best chance of lowland snow will come, said meteorologist Carly Kovacik.

“The lowlands east of the Olympics and from the Seattle metro area north have the potential to pick up several more inches of snowfall. Keep in mind this forecast will change,” Kovacik said in the online forecast discussion Thursday, Dec. 1.

There’s a 30% chance of lowland snow Friday, an 80% chance Friday night, and then a 30% chance Saturday, Dec. 3.

Weather agency Environment Canada was showing a 60% chance of snow Friday night in the Abbotsford, B.C., area north of Lynden and Sumas in Whatcom County.

Otherwise, the Bellingham area can expect clear skies and unseasonably cold temperatures through the weekend, with highs in the 30s and lows in the teens and 20s — at least 10 degrees below normal.

Overnight emergency shelters remain open in Bellingham and Ferndale, according to the Whatcom County Health Department.

In addition, Lighthouse Mission Ministries opened an overnight men’s shelter on Thursday to supplement its Base Camp shelter, which has been full.

Base Camp is also open to anyone as a daytime warming center, the mission said in an email.

Avalanche danger dropped to moderate in the Mount Baker wilderness, and the Mt. Baker Ski Area was open with 7 inches of snow in the past 24 hours.

Mount Baker Highway was bare and wet under clear skies with compact snow and ice in places, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation’s online report.

Traction tires are required, and chains are required on vehicles over 10,000 gross vehicle weight, WSDOT said.