BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – The future of Whatcom County’s severe weather shelter remains uncertain after a busy winter.

Whatcom County Health and Community Services (WCHCS) has released a review of the shelter’s operations from the past winter season.

It found that staffing and the safety of the shelter guests both proved to be major challenges.

Another key obstacle was the uncertainty that came with operating the shelter based on daily weather forecasts instead of a regular seasonal schedule.

On the positive side, the report notes that the shelter’s new location at the former Central Lutheran Church on Forest Street nearly doubled its capacity. The shelter was open 26 nights during the winter and averaged 84 guests per night.

Moving forward, the report urges the county to operate the shelter regularly during the coldest months of the year instead of just certain nights based on the forecast.

But it acknowledges the difficulty in achieving that, as funding for the shelter is expected to decline in the coming years.