Flood Preparedness Week | Contributed

Oct. 12 through 18 is a time for awareness and preparation ahead of potential dangerous flooding in Whatcom County.

By Amy Cloud October 12, 2026 6:00 am

ContributedAn aerial view of flooding in Whatcom County. Image courtesy of Amy Cloud

WHATCOM COUNTY, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Flooding is our state’s most common, dangerous and costliest natural disaster – as Whatcom County Executive Satpal Sidhu noted in his proclamation of Oct. 12-18 as “Flood Preparedness Week” in Whatcom County.

In fact, we are still recovering from the devastation of last December’s flooding.

After experiencing many millions of dollars in impacts, some families are restoring their property, as businesses rebuild and community agencies work together to coordinate resources. FEMA personnel continue to work in support of municipalities that were impacted by flooding.

Flooding at the Skagit River in Mount Vernon on Wednesday, Dec. 10. Photo by Sam Kristofferson

Because we have experienced three historic floods in Whatcom County over the past five years, it is vital that each of us prepares for the next one, in order to mitigate its impact on our homes, families and businesses.

There are several ways to become prepared before rain clouds roll in, such as:

Bookmark key information sites – such as WhatcomReady.org and the WhatcomReady Facebook page
Monitor the National Weather Service, as well local news media and KGMI
Sign up for alerts and warnings
Build a Go!Bag and have a plan for where you’ll go if flooding comes
Prepare to be on your own for up to two weeks (you can Prepare in a Year by tackling just one task per month.)

And what is Whatcom County doing to prepare?

During Flood Preparedness Week, on Wednesday, Oct. 14 at Nooksack Valley Middle School – representatives from county departments and Whatcom Long Term Recovery Group, Search and Rescue and the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), among others, will be at an open house from 5 to 7 p.m.

There will be a brief presentation at 5:30 p.m. with time to visit tables, gather information and ask staff and agency representatives to answer questions.

For more information on Flood Preparedness Week and what to expect from county agencies, check out the Whatcom County Public Works podcast available Monday, Oct. 12.

Flooding at a new development on Riverview Road in Lynden on Thursday, Dec. 11. Photo by Adam Smith

Amy Cloud is the Public Information Officer (PIO) for the Sheriff’s Office Division of Emergency Management. She was born and raised locally, leaving for Whitman College and work in Seattle, Knoxville and Washington, D.C. She returned to work as Supervising News Producer and reporter for KVOS-TV’s NewsView before switching to communications for WWU, PeaceHealth and the City of Bellingham. She also co-chairs the Community PIO Group and is a member of the Governor’s Committee on Disability Issues.