Good afternoon.  You have reached the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office Division of Emergency Management Daily Briefing Line.  Today is Thursday, March 5th and the time is 1:00 pm.  

Information about COVID-19 also referred to as “coronavirus” can be found on the Whatcom County Health Department website. The URL is: https://www.whatcomcounty.us/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1617

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.  

Advisories, Watches and Warnings: 

A “Small Craft Advisory” remains in effect for southerly winds of 15-25 knots until 7:00pm this evening.

A “Winter Weather Advisory” is in effect from 6:00pm this evening until 6:00 am tomorrow morning. Four to nine inches of snow are expected above 3000’.

Whatcom County Weather

Expect rain and rain showers to continue today and tomorrow. Winds will be from the south with gusts to 25 mph from the coast to the foothills. Tonight, look for lows in the mid-30s with freezing temperatures from Maple Falls east. Tomorrow we’ll see a chance for showers throughout the day with some rain/snow mixtures tomorrow night in the foothills. Wind tomorrow will be much lighter.

The Nooksack River will climb just a little over the next 24 hours. No flooding will occur.

Coastal Weather for Whatcom County

Winds for the Coastal and Inland waters of Whatcom County will be from the southwest today at 15-25 knots with two to four foot wind waves. Winds tonight will drop to 10-20 knots and then 5-15 knots with wind waves dropping to one to three feet. Tomorrow winds will be light from the west at 10 knots with wind waves of one foot.

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.