Washington, 1998

Winter Storm in Washington, December 25, 1998

December 25, 1998 · NWS PDT · 6 events in 6 counties and zones

A Christmas Day storm brought a combination of snow and freezing rain to Central and Southeast Washington. Up to four inches of snow fell in the higher elevations of Yakima and Kittitas counties and thirteen inches fell in the mountains of southeast Washington.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 5 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
6

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.

A Christmas Day storm brought a combination of snow and freezing rain to Central and Southeast Washington. Up to four inches of snow fell in the higher elevations of Yakima and Kittitas counties and thirteen inches fell in the mountains of southeast Washington. Freezing rain and sleet fell across the lower elevations and caused treacherous driving conditions. In Yakima county alone, state troopers responded to more than 80 traffic accidents. Most did not involve serious injuries. In southeast Yakima county, one tractor trailer rolled over and blocked an off-ramp for several hours. Another jackknifed truck blocked traffic for more than a mile. Strong wind with this storm apparently caused a power outage for about two hours in western Klickitat County.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Kittitas Valley

When
December 25, 6:00 AM PST to 10:00 PM PST
Where
Kittitas Valley forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
46.791, -120.709 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Yakima Valley

When
December 25, 6:00 AM PST to 10:00 PM PST
Where
Yakima Valley forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
46.457, -120.739 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Lower Columbia Basin

When
December 25, 6:00 AM PST to 10:00 PM PST
Where
Lower Columbia Basin forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
46.220, -119.419 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Blue Mountain Foothills

When
December 25, 6:00 AM PST to 10:00 PM PST
Where
Blue Mountain Foothills forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
46.264, -118.193 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Northwest Blue Mountains

When
December 25, 6:00 AM PST to 10:00 PM PST
Where
Northwest Blue Mountains forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
46.264, -118.193 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, East Slopes Southern Cascades

When
December 25, 6:00 AM PST to 10:00 PM PST
Where
East Slopes Southern Cascades 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

More

Every storm in Washington in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings 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: 5675384, 5675385, 5675386, 5675387, 5675388, 5675389.