Gale warning issued for Whatcom County

The Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office Division of Emergency Management issued the following coastal weather warning  the morning of Friday, October 18. 

Summary: Residents with boats in marinas should take preemptive actions to secure their vessels.  People living on the coast should be prepared for high winds.  There is a period of potential concern, beginning Friday afternoon and carrying into Saturday.  Peak wind gusts may reach 30-40 knots from the southeast. 

The National Weather Service has issued a Gale Warning from 1400 Friday afternoon through 0200 Saturday. The winds will be southeast winds 25 to 35 knots, with gusts up to 45 knots. Because the winds are predicted to be from the southwest, the effects on most of coastal Whatcom County could be impactful.  The coastal areas of Whatcom County that should have the strongest winds include Bellingham Bay, the Lummi Peninsula and Sandy Point. 

Environment Canada has issued a Gale Warning for the Strait of Georgia South of Nanaimo for today into Saturday. Wind southeast 15 knots increasing to southeast 20 early this morning and to southeast 25 to 30 late this morning. Wind becoming southeast 25 to 35 early this afternoon then becoming southeast 20 to 30 overnight. Wind diminishing to variable 5 to 15 Saturday evening.

Tidal Impact Coastal communities in Whatcom County may see minor impacts from tidal effects as the expected storm surge tide is about ½ foot.

Whatcom County Weather 

Our Contracted Weather Service is in line with these wind predictions. 

COMMENTS:  

1.       Boaters should use extra caution in these conditions and vessels in Marinas in Whatcom County should be checked to ensure lines are secure. 

2.       Loose objects such as lawn furniture and garbage cans should be secured. 

3.       Drivers and persons on the beaches should always be cautious along low lying coastal roads and beaches particularly in Sandy Point and Lummi Island. 

4.       Whatcom County uses the NOAA tide gauge at Cherry Point for the official Whatcom County tide levels, but local tidal levels do vary both in height and timing (Bellingham, Sandy Point, Birch Bay, Blaine and Point Roberts are all slightly different).