Flood in Washington, February 17 to 18, 1997

Name: Flood in Washington, February 17 to 18, 1997
Start: 1997-02-17T18:00
End: 1997-02-18T08:00
Location: Washington

February 17 to 18, 1997 · NWS PDT · 1 event in 1 county or zone

Caribou creek spilled over its banks in the town of Kittitas. The water covered one lane of Main street and caused a gas station to close for the night.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 1

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS PDT wrote it up.

Caribou creek spilled over its banks in the town of Kittitas. The water covered one lane of Main street and caused a gas station to close for the night.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Kittitas Valley

When: February 17, 6:00 PM PST to February 18, 8:00 AM PST
Where: Kittitas Valley forecast zone
Coordinates: 46.791, -120.709 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Flood: Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Washington in 1997 Every state in 1997 This day in weather history Warnings in Washington, February 1997

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5600710.