With another sunny weekend expected, weather forecasters and firefighters warn residents to take care around water in Washington, which has drowning rates among the highest in the U.S.
Despite the warm weather, many lakes and rivers remain deceptively cold, National Weather Service meteorologists said, and several water-related incidents have been reported recently in Whatcom County — including stranded boaters, a toddler who fell into a pond and a boater who nearly died when his sailboat flipped on Lake Whatcom. “Make sure to use caution if you’re headed to area waterways, as water temperatures are still running very cold,” NWS Seattle tweeted last week. “Always wear a life jacket and know the signs of hypothermia.”
A total of 13 people drowned in non-boating-related incidents in Whatcom County from 2013 to 2017, the most recent statistics available, said Melissa Morin, spokeswoman for the Whatcom County Department of Health.