Final Blog

According to the Climate Change 2007: Synthesis Report, Bellingham will see increased warming accompanying future climate change. The report suggests an increase in temperature for the north est United States between 2-6 degrees Celsius. If this is the trend that happens then following will be an affect on the snow pack of the Cascade Mountains nearby. Warmer winters mean potentially less snow pack which can affect the spring run off for the fluvial systems near Bellingham. Snow pack is also a source of fresh water storage. Ablation of glaciers will continue as annual temperature rises. The snow will no longer be able to make it though the summers.
The MANAGING THE RISKS OF EXTREME EVENTS AND DISASTERS TO ADVANCE CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION article suggests an increase in precipitaion for the area surrounding Bellingham. The increase in precipitation could potentially cause flooding in areas not equipped to deal with increased water flow. The increase is in precipitation could potentially cause  increased weathering and erosion of the hills and mountains surrounding the city. This could cause mass wasting events like mudslides.
Bellingham is a coastal city and, like all coastal cities, will eventually have to deal with the threat of sea level rise. With warming temps, sea level is beginning to rise and this will cause the eventual flooding of communities that are on the coast. People will have to migrate inland causing the communities at higher elevations to become overcrowded.
Ocean temperatures are being affected as well as air temps. Since much of Bellingham's economy relies on the fishing industry, this will cause concern. Warming oceans will cause fish to migrate or die off if they cannot adapt to the temperature changes.
Overall Bellingham could potentially see increased flooding, mudslides, inland migration and economic failure in the fishing industry if temperatures continue to keep rising.  

Bellingham Climate

        As Bellingham is located in the coastal Pacific Northwest, its climate is affected mostly by its proximity to the ocean. The climate is mild because of the effects of the ocean has on the area. Cool summers and mild winters and rainfall year round. Bellingham, according to the  Koppen-Geiger climate classification, is considered to be a Marine West Coast Climate (Cfb). This means that it is on the western edge of the continent and is poleward of the dry subtropical climates. The Cfb climate extends from Northern California up to the panhandle of Alaska. Similar climates exist in southern Chile and NW Europe.

http://snow.cals.uidaho.edu/clim_map/koppen_usa_map.htm

        Looking at the history of the average high and low temperatures of January and July in Bellingham shows a general lowering temperature trend in the winter and summer of January and July winters but a rising in the summer highs, as shown below:

Year	Jan Low	Jan High	July Low	July High
2012	13	60	N/A	N/A
2011	30	50	43	79
2010	28	65	46	86
2009	19	52	47	92
2008	21	55	46	80
2007	15	56	48	84
2006	33	63	47	85
2005	15	64	49	82
2004	10	60	51	90
2003	28	60	46	85
2002	19	60	43	84
2001	27	58	47	81
2000	26	52	44	80
1999	26	56	47	80
1998	14	61	48	90
1997	17	59	49	79
1996	9	56	45	82
1995	20	60	49	84
1994	31	59	52	84
1993	19	58	49	76
1992	26	63	54	80
1991	19	59	50	82
1990	27	56	51	83
1989	25	57	48	76
1988	20	63	46	90
1987	23	60	49	81
1986	28	65	45	75

This Chart shows the average highs and lows for January and July in Bellingham since 1986 until present. Below is this chart plotted on four graphs:

This graph shows the trend of the temperature in F for the lows of January in Bellingham.

This graph shows the highs (F) in January in Bellingham.

This graph shows the lows (F) in July in Bellingham.

This graph shows the highs (F) in January in Bellingham.

References:

Köppen Climate Classification. Web. Visited: May 1, 2012.   http://www.elmhurst.edu/~richs/EC/101/KoppenClimateClassification.pdf

Weather Warehouse. Past Monthly Weather for Bellingham, WA. Web. Visited: May 1, 2012.        http://weather- warehouse.com/WeatherHistory/PastWeatherData_Bellingham3Ssw_Bellingham_WA_July.html