Not a good time to go to Bellingham or Chehalis or any river town

Sumas, Washington in Whatcom county

The wind and rain may have died down here but the area around Bellingham in Whatcom county is a mess, to use a technical term. Interstate 5 has been closed in spots as the rain creates landslides that bring down trees.

So the freeway is either covered with dirt or blocked by trees.

It has been closed, cleared, opened, then blocked again.

All the rivers in western Washington are at flood stage and towns from Chehalis to Sumas to streets in Bellingham are underwater.

According to WSDOT:

Both directions of I-5 between North Lake Samish Drive (milepost 247) and Nulle Road (milepost 245) in south Whatcom County were closed overnight due to water over the road and debris slides. No detour routes were in place for these closures. 

Tuesday morning, WSDOT will evaluate the hillside along northbound I-5 to determine the next steps. The issues on southbound I-5 are related to water over the roadway 6-8 inches deep, which WSDOT will work to address during the daylight hours tomorrow. Travelers should not attempt to go around the closures for everyone’s safety.

There are multiple other highway closures throughout Whatcom and Skagit counties due to flooding and slides. Our crews will continue to monitor and assess conditions and will reopen when it is safe to do so. 

Find information about local road closures, visit Public Works | Whatcom County, WA - Official Website and Skagit County Public Works Road Closures.

The National Weather Service provides updated weather alerts, including information about flooding.