Winter Storm in Washington, December 19, 1998

Name: Winter Storm in Washington, December 19, 1998
Start: 1998-12-19T12:30
End: 1998-12-19T15:30
Location: Washington

December 19, 1998 · NWS SEW · 5 events in 5 counties and zones

After two to four inches of snow fell, there was significant disruption of traffic throughout the affected areas. People driving over the Hood Canal Bridge were stuck in traffic for about 3 hours.

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 5

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 SEW wrote it up.

After two to four inches of snow fell, there was significant disruption of traffic throughout the affected areas. People driving over the Hood Canal Bridge were stuck in traffic for about 3 hours. There were two deaths that were indirectly caused by the snow and its effect on the roads.

Event by event

5 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Everett and Vicinity

When: December 19, 12:30 PM PST to 3:30 PM PST
Where: Everett and Vicinity forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

Winter Storm, Hood Canal/Kitsap Peninsula

When: December 19, 12:30 PM PST to 3:30 PM PST
Where: Hood Canal/Kitsap Peninsula forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

Winter Storm, Central Coast

When: December 19, 12:30 PM PST to 3:30 PM PST
Where: Central Coast forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

Winter Storm, Seattle Metropolitan Area

When: December 19, 12:30 PM PST to 3:30 PM PST
Where: Seattle Metropolitan Area forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

Winter Storm, Northwest Interior

When: December 19, 12:30 PM PST to 3:30 PM PST
Where: Northwest Interior forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

What these are

Winter Storm: A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Washington in 1998 Every state in 1998 This day in weather history Warnings in Washington, December 1998

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: 5677722, 5677723, 5677724, 5677725, 5677726.