Overnight snowfall turned to freezing rain across northwest Washington Friday afternoon, creating perilous driving and even walking conditions around the region as a dome of Arctic air begrudgingly gave way to rain and warming temperatures.
With a winter storm warning in effect until 10 p.m. Friday, roads, sidewalks and other surfaces turned to sheets of ice as rain began falling around midday Friday.
In Bellingham, city services were shuttered and Bellingham International Airport remained closed to all flights due to icy conditions. The region’s largest airport, SeaTac, meanwhile, saw hundreds of canceled flights with limited operations caused by the ice.
State troopers and other first responders were working throughout the day to clear hundreds of collisions caused by icy roads across the Puget Sound region. Multiple blocking collisions were reported on Interstate 5 throughout the day, causing serious traffic delays in northern Whatcom County.
An overturned semi on southbound I-5 just south of Peace Portal Drive blocked all lanes Friday around 1:20 p.m.
Officials urged residents throughout the Puget Sound region to avoid traveling unless absolutely necessary. Tree limbs weighted down by the ice were a particular concern throughout the day.
Relief is on the way, but the timing remains uncertain. Rainfall is expected to accelerate through the weekend, with temperatures rising above freezing and maintaining daytime highs above freezing for the coming week, according to the National Weather Service. Bellingham’s high temperature could reach 50 degrees on Saturday, and again on Christmas Day Sunday, the NWS said.
The transition will not be gentle, however. Southerly winds gusting from 40 to 50 mph are “likely” in northern Puget Sound and Whatcom County on Saturday, the NWS said.
Local residents can’t say they weren’t warned. The freezing rain arrived essentially as had been predicted for the past 48 hours.
The Washington State Department of Transportation North Division urged Whatcom County residents to limit travel in a Friday morning tweet.
“Everything is covered in ice,” the tweet said. “If you don’t have to travel today, please stay home. Our crews are out treating the roads, but we need Mother Nature to let things warm up a bit.”
The city of Bellingham announced its services, including public libraries, are mostly closed heading into the holiday weekend. Western Washington University said its campus is closed, and a suspended operations policy is in place for employees.
The Sanitary Service Company, Bellingham’s garbage company, also announced it will not be operating today due to the icy conditions.
City crews are working around the clock to clear roads, today focusing on flat, arterial streets due to dangerous conditions, according to a release.
WTA said it is running, but to expect delays as drivers navigate the icy roads. Many runs serving hilly areas were suspended during the day, the WTA said on Twitter.
Bellingham International Airport’s runway remained closed throughout the day and will not reopen until conditions improve, airport officials announced in a 1:42 p.m. update. All remaining commercial flights were canceled for Friday.
Ferry runs also have been impacted, and service on the Port Townsend-Coupeville and Seattle-Bremerton routes was suspended, Washington State Ferries announced Friday morning.
The Seattle area remained ice-locked throughout the day, with even Metro bus service canceled for most of Friday. The service announced plans to resume operations late Friday afternoon on an emergency snow plan.
National Weather Service and DOT officials warned of “very poor conditions” on all mountain passes, with little hope of improvement until Sunday.
Conditions were rough even for skiers and snowboarders Friday. Mount Baker Ski Area reported an afternoon temperature of 32 degrees, with mixed snow and rain and gusty winds.
