Heavy Snow in Washington, January 10 to 11, 1998

Name: Heavy Snow in Washington, January 10 to 11, 1998
Start: 1998-01-10T10:00
End: 1998-01-11T20:00
Location: Washington

January 10 to 11, 1998 · NWS PDT · 7 events in 6 counties and zones

Up to 15 inches of snow fell along the east slopes of the Cascades. Up to six inches fell in the Yakima Valley with only a few traffic problems reported.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 6 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: 7

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.

Up to 15 inches of snow fell along the east slopes of the Cascades. Up to six inches fell in the Yakima Valley with only a few traffic problems reported. The lower Columbia basin received up to 3 inches of snow. The Foothills of the Blue Mountains picked up as much as 5 inches of snow and blowing snow caused local white-out conditions. Sixteen inches of snow fell in the Blue Mountains.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, East Slopes Southern Cascades

When: January 10, 10:00 AM PST to January 11, 4:00 PM PST
Where: East Slopes Southern Cascades forecast zone

Heavy Snow, East Columbia River Gorge

When: January 10, 10:00 AM PST to January 11, 4:00 PM PST
Where: East Columbia River Gorge forecast zone
Coordinates: 45.874, -120.789 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Yakima Valley

When: January 10, 12:00 PM PST to January 11, 4:00 PM PST
Where: Yakima Valley forecast zone
Coordinates: 46.457, -120.739 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Lower Columbia Basin

When: January 10, 2:00 PM PST to January 11, 5:00 PM PST
Where: Lower Columbia Basin forecast zone
Coordinates: 46.220, -119.419 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Blue Mountain Foothills

When: January 10, 2:00 PM PST to January 11, 6:00 PM PST
Where: Blue Mountain Foothills forecast zone
Coordinates: 46.264, -118.193 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Blue Mountain Foothills

When: January 10, 2:00 PM PST to January 11, 6:00 PM PST
Where: Blue Mountain Foothills forecast zone
Coordinates: 46.264, -118.193 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Northwest Blue Mountains

When: January 10, 2:00 PM PST to January 11, 8:00 PM PST
Where: Northwest Blue Mountains forecast zone
Coordinates: 46.264, -118.193 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Heavy Snow: Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.

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, January 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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5659977, 5659978, 5659976, 5659979, 5659980, 5659981, 5659982.