Report weather damages by Friday, January 6

Residents and businesses have until Friday, January 6 to report weather-related damages that occurred in Whatcom County from December 18-28.
Damages from heavy snow, freezing rain or flooding should be reported using Whatcom County’s online form at whatcomcounty.us/reportdamage. The Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) asks both renters and homeowners in cities and unincorporated areas of Whatcom County to report damages. Forms are available in Spanish and people needing help with the forms can call 360/676-6681.
Reporting damages is the first step in Whatcom County’s aid request from the state and federal government, according to a January 3 press release from the WCSO. While aid is not guaranteed, WCSO said in the release that reporting damages will demonstrate need and help the county meet the threshold for assistance.
Areas within Blaine received heavy snowfall measuring a foot or more on December 20. The snowfall turned into freezing rain and then rain as temperatures rose in the following days. The melting snow and rain was unable to be absorbed in the ground as it remained frozen and snow blocked water drains. Snowmelt also caused flooding as it drained into streams and the Nooksack River.
By Christmas morning on December 25, emergency workers helped six people and five dogs evacuate by boat from the Marietta area, according to a WCSO news release. King tides and ice buildup at the mouth of the Nooksack River caused water to cover Marine Drive near Marietta and seep into homes. The American Red Cross set up a temporary shelter in Bellingham.
Terrell Creek began flooding in Birch Bay around December 26, and the Blaine Police Department asked people on December 27 traveling Drayton Harbor Road to use an alternate route due to flooding. The Bridge Community Hope Center on Alderson Road flooded for a second time in 2022. It flooded nearly a year earlier on January 7, 2022, as well as during the November 2021 flooding.
“We appreciate the quick response and coordination by our emergency management staff to meet the rapidly evolving needs of community members during these severe weather events,” WCSO undersheriff Doug Chadwick said in a statement. “This response would not have been possible without the assistance of many local resources, as well as our tribal, state and federal partners.”