Flood watch issued for Whatcom as atmospheric river is set to drench region

A flood watch was issued for several Western Washington rivers, including the Nooksack in Whatcom County, as the threat of torrential rain increased from a moisture-laden storm called an atmospheric river. About an inch or so of rain is forecast for Bellingham and the Whatcom County lowlands from Wednesday, Oct. 27, through Friday morning, Oct. 29, but some 3 to 5 inches of rain is possible for the Mount Baker wilderness, said Brent Bower, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Seattle. “It’s a moderate atmospheric river,” said Bower, who specializes in hydrology.