Weather, roads will worsen before Christmas. This is what Whatcom travelers should know

Road and other travel conditions are likely not going to get better going into the Christmas weekend. Snow is forecasted for Thursday afternoon, Dec. 22, into Friday, Dec. 23, across Whatcom County.

For people planning a trip for the weekend, it is important to stay up to date with the changing conditions.

“Weather forecasts indicate up to four inches of snow Thursday night, transitioning to substantial amounts of freezing rain early Friday morning. This combination will likely create very hazardous driving conditions all day Friday as the potential for ice on top of compact snow will be very challenging for road crews to address,” the city of Bellingham said in a news release.

The Washington Department of Transportation tweeted that if people are planning to travel, do it before snowfall Thursday night.

The Washington State Department of Transportation reported its crews were working to keep the roads as clear as possible in Whatcom, Skagit and Island counties. The department of transportation said in a news release it asked snow plow drivers what message they want to send to people:

“Please give us room to work - don’t crowd us and don’t pass us. We are out there to treat and clear the roads and if we get hit, not only could someone be hurt, but our plows are taken out of service so they can be inspected and repaired, if needed. We travel at no more than 35 miles per hour and we will pull over when it is safe for us to do so to allow traffic to pass. If you aren’t comfortable driving in the snow or wintry conditions, please consider waiting until conditions improve or take public transportation.”

People can stay up to date on road changes by following the WSDOT app and twitter.

With Washington ferries seeing an increase in passengers around the Christmas holidays, state also track ferry schedules and sign up for updates.

Nationally, temperatures plunged far and fast Thursday as a winter storm formed ahead of Christmas weekend, promising heavy snow, ice, flooding and powerful winds across a broad swath of the country and complicating holiday travel, according to the Associated Press.

The National Weather Service reported that temperatures across the central High Plains plummeted 50 degrees in just a few hours. In much of the country, the Christmas weekend could be the coldest in decades.

The frigid air will move through the central United States to the east, with windchill advisories affecting about 135 million people over the coming days, weather service meteorologist Ashton Robinson Cook said Thursday.

SeaTac airport reported 168 flight delays and 41 cancellations as of Thursday morning. Bellingham International reported two flight delays. However, more snowfall is forecast for Thursday afternoon.

Flight delays can be tracked at FlightAware and airport status updates for Seattle are also available online.

More than 1,700 flights had been canceled Thursday morning within, in or out of the U.S., according to the tracking site FlightAware, with Chicago O’Hare and Denver airports seeing the most, according to the Associated Press. Freezing rain forced Delta to halt departures from its hub in Seattle.

Travel advice

If you must travel by car, Bellingham’s Office of Emergency Management offers these tips:

▪ Clean off your entire vehicle to keep flying snow and ice from obscuring visibility – be sure to clear your headlights and brake lights as well as your windows, hood and roof.

▪ Use your seat belts and booster seats properly.

▪ Keep gas in the tank – a low gas tank in freezing temperatures can cause your car to stall.

▪ Pack an emergency kit in your vehicle with jumper cables, flares, cell phone and charger, ice scraper, water, first aid kit, flashlight and blankets.

▪ Allow snowplows and other emergency response vehicles plenty of room to do their work. If visibility is limited, don’t pass.

▪ Be aware that bridges and ramps are most likely to freeze first.

▪ Do not use cruise control.

▪ Decrease speed and leave plenty of room to stop.

▪ If you start to slide, keep your eyes aimed at where you want to go and steer toward that point. If you have standard brakes, pump them gently. If you have anti-lock brakes, do not pump the brakes but instead apply steady pressure. You will feel the brakes pulse – this is normal.

▪ If you’re stuck, do not spin your wheels. This will only dig you in deeper. Turn your wheels from side to side to push the snow away from the tires. Clear the snow away from the wheels and the underside of your car. Ease your car out with gentle acceleration.

▪ If you become stranded, do not leave your car unless you know exactly where you are, how far it is to possible help and are certain you will improve your situation. If you are stranded, turn on your vehicle’s headlights before getting out of the vehicle. To attract attention, light a flare if you have one, or hang a brightly colored cloth from your antenna. If you are sure your car’s exhaust pipe is not blocked, run the engine and heater for about 10 minutes every hour or so depending on the amount of gas in the tank. Keep at least one window slightly open. Heavy snow and ice can seal a car shut.