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Weather to get warmer, wetter in Whatcom County

Published: Jan. 22, 2013 at 2:45 p.m. PSTUpdated: Jan. 22, 2013 at 2:42 p.m. PST
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Mount Baker looms over California Creek south of Blaine on a frosty winter morning in Whatcom County on Thursday, Jan.17, 2013. (PHILIP A. DWYER/THE BELLINGHAM HERALD)

After nearly two weeks of icy conditions, the usual Whatcom County wet weather pattern is expected to return Wednesday, Jan. 23, according to the National Weather Service.

Overnight temperatures haven't gone above freezing since Jan. 9, NWS meteorologist Andy Haner said.

The coldest temperature recorded at Bellingham International Airport in that time was 19 degrees on Jan. 13. Though it was consistently below freezing, it was never cold enough to break records, Haner said.

For the rest of the week, overnight temperatures are expected to hover in the mid- to high 30s, with daytime temperatures in the mid-40s.

"It looks like a pretty normal rhythm is going to return to the weather," Haner said.

Normal for Whatcom County tends to mean cloudy with off-and-on rain, which is what's in the forecast for the next week.

The rain and slightly breezy conditions will help clear up the fog and stagnant air that have been affecting the area during the past week.

Thick fog caused delays and cancellations for morning flights out of Bellingham International Airport for the past few days.

The Northwest Clean Air Agency asked for a voluntary burn ban because of air stagnation, especially in the Columbia Valley area. An air stagnation advisory will last until noon Wednesday. The advisory means that limited air movement in an area allows pollution to increase to potentially dangerous levels.

Reach Zoe Fraley at zoe.fraley@bellinghamherald.com or 360-756-2803.

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