Good morning.  You have reached the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office Division of Emergency Management Daily Briefing Line.  Today is Tuesday, February 18th and the time is 9:00 am.  

The official term now being used to describe the novel coronavirus is "COVID-19".  Information on the "COVID-19” can be found on the Whatcom County Health Department website.    

Active Incidents

The “Proclamation of Emergency” signed by the Whatcom County Executive concerning the storms and flooding two weeks ago remains in effect at this time.  Preliminary Damage Assessments for impacts to infrastructure are due to the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office Division of Emergency Management tomorrow.  In addition, individual and businesses affected by floodwater are requested to report damages to 360.788.5311.

Advisories, Watches and Warnings: 

There are no advisories, watches or warnings.

Whatcom County Weather

We are going to have mostly clear skies for the next couple of days and then things will start to cloud up tomorrow night with a chance of precipitation returning on Thursday. Until then we are going to have light east to northeast winds with highs in the mid-40s for the central and west part of the county and 5-10 degrees cooler in the foothills and higher elevations. Lows will drop down to the low 30s so there is a very real possibility of frost or ice on the roads where melting occurs in the foothills and higher. Tomorrow will be a few degrees warmer and lows will be about the same.

The Nooksack River level has pretty much leveled off and will remain that way until we reach the weekend when the rain could cause the level to move up a foot or two but there is no flooding anywhere on the horizon at the moment. Check the Public Works website for road conditions as there was damage to some roads from the flooding a couple of weeks ago that still must be repaired.

Coastal Weather for Whatcom County

Light northeast winds can be expected for the next several days for the strait and inland coastal waters of Whatcom County. Winds waves should be two feet or less for the next several days.

For the tides, today was the last day of King Tides for awhile.  Otherwise, tides at Cherry Point for the next two days:

Here are a few emergency management reminders:

First, put your Winter Safety Kit in your vehicle if you haven’t done so already. Check the Washington State Department of Transportation website for a list of items to have in your kit.

Second, watch for ice and slush on the roadways especially where the temperature drops below the freezing level. And don’t forget, shaded caused by overhanging trees, mountains, or even buildings can shield the sun from thawing the frost and you could go from a dry area to patches of frost which could cause a loss of traction or vehicle control. Elevation will also make a difference as to where the freezing level is so keep alert.

Third, watch for packed snow or patches of packed snow if you are headed to the ski area or crossing the Cascades over the next couple of days. Slush or snow building up under your vehicle tires can cause your vehicle to ride on top of an unstable surface and can lead to loss of traction and vehicle control.

Fourth, keep an eye on the avalanche notifications and tree well warning. You can find information about both on the Mount Baker Ski Area Website Home Page.

Fifth, don’t drive through water flowing over roads. It only take three to six inches of fast moving water to knock you off your feet and another few inches to move vehicles as large as SUVs.  Do not go around signs or barriers; they are there for your protection and going a different route will only cost you a little bit of time.  

This briefing line is not updated on weekends unless an incident occurs.