Soggy weather forecast next week expects to break June rainfall records

WHATCOM COUNTY, Wash. — Weather forecasters are watching computer forecast models showing an atmospheric river pointed at western Washington and expected to arrive late Sunday or early Monday.

While still part of the long-term forecast, forecasters are confident that heavy lowland and mountain rains can be expected late Sunday through Tuesday, lingering as lighter rain Wednesday. But the forecast for Whatcom County varies depending on which computer forecast model is followed.

Heavy rain impacts Skagit and/or Snohomish Counties and areas to the south according to some models and other models show it reaching further north including Whatcom County.

Timing also varies with heavy rains beginning late Sunday or perhaps sometime Monday.

1 to 3 inches of rain can be expected in the Whatcom County lowlands during this weather event according to the GFS forecast for the Bellingham airport. The monthly rainfall average at Bellingham for June is about 1.5 inches.

Blue line is the GFS model. Black line is the mean of all model interpolations. Source: NOAA Environmental Modeling Center as of 12pm PT on May 31, 2024.

While current Nooksack River level forecasts reflect the expected rains, they do not expect the river level to reach flood stage.

Whatcom News readers are encouraged to stay up to date with current weather alerts and forecasts and air quality readings for their specific Whatcom County locations along with tide tables via the Whatcom News Weather page.