Light snow flurries reported in north Whatcom County early Monday may be a foretaste of snowier conditions that could snarl rush-hour traffic across the county on Thursday morning, Jan. 11.
The amount of snow coming to the lower elevations remained highly uncertain on Monday morning, Jan. 8, National Weather Service meteorologist Dev McMillian said. But the series of storms advancing over Western Washington this week promise to bring plenty of snow to the Cascades, including Mt. Baker Ski Area.
The Weather Service issued a blizzard warning for elevations above 2,000 feet in the Cascades and Olympics, from 4 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 9 to 10 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 10. The last time a blizzard warning was issued for Western Washington was in 2012, according to a Weather Service post to X (formerly Twitter).
Blizzard conditions include heavy snow and high winds. The forecast calls for gusts up to 60 mph in the Cascades, including Stevens and Snoqualmie passes. Visibility will be limited and travel could be difficult at these elevations.
An arctic blast from the Fraser Valley in British Columbia is almost certain to bring frigid temperatures to Northwest Washington, too. Temperatures are predicted to drop below freezing starting Wednesday night. By early Friday morning, the thermometer is expected to hit 11 degrees in Bellingham. Below-freezing temperatures are expected through Sunday, Jan. 14.
Severe weather shelters in Bellingham and Ferndale will be open from Wednesday through Sunday, and possibly longer.
Regarding snowfall amounts in low-lying areas, McMillian said “confidence is still a bit shaky. We don’t have a lot of certainty.”
As of Monday morning, the Weather Service in its online forecast discussion was calling for a 40–60% chance of an inch or more of snow in the lowlands, especially north of Seattle.
Snowfall amounts could be much greater, McMillian cautioned.
“Hopefully we’ll have a better view as we go, throughout the rest of the week,” he said.
A wind advisory will be in effect from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday for western Whatcom and Skagit counties. Wind gusts up to 55 mph could knock down tree limbs and cause power outages in the area, the Weather Service said.
Between 3 to 5 feet of snow could fall at Mt. Baker Ski Area through Thursday, according to a Weather Service forecast. The ski area’s online snow report said more runs could open in the coming days.
Temporary cold-weather shelters will be open Wednesday through Sunday night, Jan. 10–14. This includes the Bellingham overnight severe weather shelter at 810 N. State St., and the Ferndale shelter at 2034 Washington St.
A separate winter shelter is open every night, December through February, at Bellingham’s Civic Field, 1355 Civic Field Way. Lighthouse Mission Ministries’ Base Camp at 1530 Cornwall Ave. in Bellingham, offers 200 shelter beds year-round.
When it snows, the City of Bellingham plows main roads and more dangerous areas first, including Alabama Street, Meridian Street, Cornwall Avenue, Old Fairhaven Parkway and downtown streets. The city advises its residents to avoid unnecessary travel when it snows, and to clear driveways and sidewalks.
High tides coupled with a deep low-pressure system could lead to coastal flooding of 2 to 3 feet on the San Juan Islands. A coastal flood advisory is in effect for the San Juans from 2 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday.
