Weather service issues flood warning for Whatcom County communities along Nooksack River
Communities along the Nooksack River from the South Fork Valley to the river delta at Lummi Nation are under a flood warning in the face of heavy rain that is expected to continue well into next week.
The National Weather Service in Seattle issued flood warnings just before 8 a.m. Sunday for Acme and Nugents Corner, where the river is expected to crest at or above minor flood stage Sunday night.
In Ferndale, a crest is expected Monday at flood stage of 21 feet, according to the Northwest River Forecast Center.
Several days of rain across Whatcom County from a subtropical storm are causing rivers and creeks to rise quickly.
Rapid snowmelt in the mountains east of Bellingham put the Mt. Baker Ski area on a weather delay. The ski area lost more than 20 inches of its base this weekend, where it was raining Sunday with a temperature of 43 degrees at Heather Meadows.
Avalanche danger was high in the Mount Baker wilderness, the Northwest Avalanche Center said online.
Rainfall of 0.72 inches was recorded Saturday at Bellingham International Airport, a record for the date, and more rain was expected as a massive atmospheric river continues to drench Western Washington.
After a short reprieve Sunday, another persistent downpour was expected Sunday night into Monday, followed by more heavy rain Tuesday night into Wednesday.
Severe storms caused flooding on the Nooksack River in early 2020 and in November 2021. The storms led to the death of an Everson man, displaced hundreds of people and caused more than $200 million in damage.
