Nooksack River at Ferndale, WA

The last 7 days and the forecast

NWS forecast issued Mon, Oct 12, 8:50 AM. Forecasts change as rain falls and as upstream water arrives.

Flood stages

What floods at each level

From the National Weather Service, highest first.

• 23 ftthe Nooksack River will cause major near record flooding from near Ferndale downstream to the mouth, overtopping levees on both sides of the river and flooding roadways on the Lummi Peninsula including Hexton Way. Deep and swift flood waters will inundate residential areas...farm lands...and roads. In addition...flood waters could overflow and flood the Sumas drainage. Flooding will occur all along the river including headwaters...tributaries...and other streams within and near the Nooksack River Basin.
• 22 ftthe Nooksack River will overflow levees and banks along the east bank of the river from Hovander Park downstream to Marietta, causing widespread flooding from near Ferndale downstream to the mouth...with swift waters in residential areas and over farmlands and roads. Erosion may damage some river banks. Flooding within the City of Ferndale affects Main Street in the vicinity of the Whatcom Transportation Authority Station.
• 20.5 ftthe Nooksack River will overflow levees and banks along the east bank of the river from Hovander Park downstream to Marietta, causing widespread flooding from near Ferndale downstream to the mouth...with swift waters in residential areas and over farm lands and roads. Erosion may damage some river banks.
• 20 ftthe river will flood additional areas within the City of Ferndale including low-lying residential areas and roads including Washington Street, Portal Way and Second Avenue.
• 18 ftthe river begins overtopping its banks within the City of Ferndale flooding low-lying areas within the City and low pasture lands along the river from near Ferndale downstream to the mouth.
• 17 ftthe Nooksack River will overtop levees along Bertrand Creek and near Marine Drive, causing shallow flooding of low pasture lands along the river and additional roadways within the floodplain including Slater Road.
• 16 ftthe river begins spilling over its banks into low pasture lands flooding some roadways that are not protected by levees including Marine Drive and Ferndale Road.

Highest crests on record

1. 31.23 ft — February 10, 1951
2. 30.6 ft — December 30, 1917
3. 30.4 ft — February 27, 1932
4. 30.2 ft — January 25, 1935
5. 28.6 ft — October 26, 1945

Recent crests: 22.39 ft (December 12, 2025) · 18.52 ft (January 29, 2024) · 18.16 ft (December 1, 2021) · 21.22 ft (November 29, 2021) · 23.81 ft (November 16, 2021)

Up and down the river, and nearby

• UpstreamNooksack River at Everson, WA
• Nooksack River near Lynden, WA
• Nooksack River Overflow at Emerson Rd, WA
• Experimental, WA
• Nooksack River at North Cedarvillle, WA
• Sumas River near Sumas, WA
• Middle Fork Nooksack River near Deming, WA
• South Fork Nooksack River near Saxon Bridge, WA