Hard winter tests Western Washington dairies

Washington dairy farmers near the British Columbia border are rediscovering the hardships of feeding, milking and protecting cows in freezing temperatures, icy winds and snowdrifts. “You kind of forget about it after a few mild years,” Sumas dairy farmer Dan Heeringa said. “It’s been at least 10 years, probably more.” Snowpacks throughout Washington are near or above 100 percent of normal. The state went through its coldest January since 1993, according to the federal National Centers for Environmental Information. Earlier this month, on Super Bowl Sunday, a strong winter storm struck northwest Washington. The next day, Sumas dairy farmer Doug Visser spotted a barn roof sagging under the weight of the snow.  That weekend, parts of Whatcom County received more than 2 inches of precipitation, according to the National Weather Service. Generally, 1 inch of precipitation translates into 10 inches of snow, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service. Strong winds blowing down from Canada pushed snow piles several feet high, dairy farmers said.