Good morning.  You have reached the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office Division of Emergency Management Daily Briefing Line.  Today is Thursday, February 27th and the time is 8:30 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 several weeks ago remains in effect at this time.  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 for Whatcom County at this time.

Whatcom County Weather

Rain along Whatcom County’s coast will gradually stop and we will have partly sunny skies. The middle of the county will see partly cloudy skies. Winds will be around 10 mph or so from the south with temperatures near 50 degrees for most areas. Tonight temperatures will drop to the mid to upper 30s with winds about the same. Tomorrow, winds will increase along the coast with some gusts to 20 mph or so from the south. Temperatures will again climb to near 50 degrees in the lower areas of the county. The chance for rain will return tomorrow and the upper elevations will see a pretty good shot of snow with the ski area looking for 12-20 inches of the white stuff between Friday night and Sunday. Everyone else should just see rain.

The Nooksack River will see the level increase by about a foot or so between Friday and Saturday, drop back down and then rise again a foot or two on March 2nd and 3rd when another shot of rain moves through the area. No flooding should occur from either of these two storms, but it’s always good to keep an eye on smaller streams which could see larger increases and run quickly.

Coastal Weather for Whatcom County

For the Coastal and Inland waters of Whatcom County, winds today will be from the southeast less than 20 knots with 1-3 foot wind waves. Wind speeds will drop to 10 knots tonight and then increase to 10-20 knots tomorrow and 15-25 knots late in the day. Look for a “Small Craft Advisory” to be issued for those winds.

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.