Two hikers were killed, and one injured, by an avalanche near Snoqualmie Pass. 3 snowboarders are presumed dead near Crystal Mountain.
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.
The episode as NWS SEW wrote it up.
Two hikers were killed, and one injured, by an avalanche near Snoqualmie Pass. 3 snowboarders are presumed dead near Crystal Mountain.
The snowfall that led to the avalanches was part of a deep Pacific storm system offshore the also created lowland snow in western Washington, strong winds particularly in the coastal region as well as heavy rainfall, flooding and landslides elsewhere in western Washington.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Seattle, WA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 1, 4:00 PM PST, 2 hours earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...ADDED AVIATION AND MARINE SECTIONS NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA 400 PM PST SAT DEC 1 2007 .SYNOPSIS...SNOW SHOULD CHANGE TO RAIN LATE TONIGHT AS WARMER AIR SPREADS OVER THE AREA. A VERY MOIST PACIFIC FRONTAL SYSTEM WILL BRING RAIN ON SUNDAY. A THIRD VERY WET SYSTEM WILL BRING HEAVY RAIN AT TIMES SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY...ALONG WITH WINDY CONDITIONS TO PARTS OF THE AREA. MORE TYPICAL SHOWERY WEATHER WILL RETURN TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. && .SHORT TERM...VERY BUSY TODAY AS PREDICTED 1-3 INCHES OF SNOW HAS MATERIALIZED OVER WESTERN WASHINGTON. WENT WITH A HEAVY SNOW WARNING IN THE HOOD CANAL AREA AS SNOW REPORTS APPEARED TO BE HIGHER THERE. KEEPING THE SNOW ADVISORY THROUGH THIS EVENING FOR EVERYWHERE ELSE IN THE LOWLANDS. SNOW ON RADAR AND IN SATELLITE IMAGERY SEEMS TO HAVE A FRONT LIKE CHARACTER WITH WHAT LOOKS LIKE A BACK EDGE JUST MOVING INTO PUGET SOUND AREA. EXPECT A FEW MORE HOURS OF LIGHT SNOW BEFORE IT BECOMES MORE SHOWERY. SLOW WARMING TREND MAY CHANGE THE PCPN TO RAIN...SPREADING FROM SOUTH TO NORTH...DURING THE NIGHT. NOT COMPLETELY SURE ABOUT THIS IDEA BUT WENT WITH IT IN THE FORECAST. KHQM-KSPB-KPDX ALREADY HAS RAIN WITH BOTH TEMPS AND DEWPOINTS ABOVE FREEZING. IF THIS SPREADS NORTH AT A DECENT RATE THE FORECAST SHOULD WORK OUT. NEXT PROBLEM IS HEAVY SNOW IN THE CASCADES. KEPT WARNING IN OLYMPICS FOR TONIGHT BUT THE OLYMPICS SHOULD CHANGE TO RAIN OVERNIGHT. THE CASCADES WILL STILL HAVE SNOW THROUGH MONDAY MORNING AND STILL CALLING FOR 2-3 FEET IN THE PASSES. SEE AVALANCHE PORTION BELOW. RAINFALL AMOUNTS FORECAST FOR THE MOUNTAINS ON MONDAY ARE TRULY BREATHTAKING. 5-10 INCHES IN SEVERAL BULLSEYES OVER THE OLYMPICS AND CASCADES MEANS FLOODING. THIS WILL BE ON TOP OF SUNDAY RAIN IN THE OLYMPICS. COULD BE LOOKING AT SOME VERY HIGH RIVERS FLOWING OFF THE OLYMPICS BY LATE MONDAY. WILL ISSUE A FLOOD WATCH FOR EVERYWHERE LATER THIS AFTERNOON. FINALLY THERE IS THE PROBLEM OF HIGH WIND. PORTLAND HAS ALREADY INDICATED HURRICANE FORCE WINDS...64 KT OR GREATER...LIKELY FOR MONDAY ON THEIR COAST. THE SYSTEM DOES NOT LOOK THAT STRONG FOR WASHINGTON. HOWEVER THERE WILL PROBABLY BE A PERIOD OF STORM FORCE WINDS...48-63 KT...ON THE COAST ON MONDAY...MORE OR LESS AT THE SAME TIME THE OLYMPICS ARE RECEIVING THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL. NOT A PLEASANT DAY FOR SURE. ANYWAY STORM FORCE WINDS ON THE COAST GENERALLY CORRESPOND TO HIGH WIND OVER THE COASTAL LAND AREAS. NOT CONFIDENT ABOUT HIGH WIND ANYWHERE ELSE AS GRADIENT IS NOT STRONG EXCEPT PERHAPS FOR THE NW INTERIOR. WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE SITUATION...A WATCH COULD GO OUT DURING THE NEXT SHIFT OR TWO. BURKE .LONG TERM...MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH SHOWERS FOR NOW. BURKE && .AVIATION...PRECIPITATION WILL BECOME MORE SCATTERED ON THE COAST AS THE FRONT MAKES LANDFALL. INTERIOR SECTIONS...FRONT WILL COME THROUGH 01-04Z. 1-3 INCHES OF TOTAL SNOWFALL EXPECTED...EXCEPT FOR THE HOOD CANAL AREA WHERE ANOTHER INCH OR TWO IN POSSIBLE. VISIBILITIES/CIGS WILL CONTINUE TO FALL DURING THE HEAVIER BANDS. SNOW WILL BEGIN MIX WITH RAIN FROM SOUTH TO NORTH...BETWEEN 01-05Z. A FEW GUSTS WILL CONTINUE TO MIX DOWN AHEAD OF THE FRONT...WITH WINDS TAPERING TO LIGHT SOUTHERLIES TOMORROW. AT KSEA...SNOW SHOULD BECOME MORE SHOWERY AND MIX WITH RAIN AROUND 04Z...WITH WINDS SHIFTING TO THE S-SW ALSO AROUND 04Z. CEILINGS SHOULD STABILIZE BETWEEN 2-3.5 K FT OVERNIGHT. DAMICO && .MARINE...FRONT WILL COME THROUGH THE INLAND WATERS EARLY THIS EVENING VEERING THE FLOW FROM SE TO S-SW. THERE WILL BE A BRIEF WESTERLY PUSH THROUGH THE STRAIT AS THE FIRST SYSTEM DRIFT NE INTO BRITISH COLUMBIA. THE NEXT SYSTEM IN LINE WILL BRING STRONG SE WINDS TO THE COASTAL WATERS...ESPECIALLY THE CENTRAL WASHINGTON COAST ON SUNDAY. AN EVEN MORE POWERFUL SYSTEM WILL TRACK TOWARDS THE TIP OF THE QUEEN CHARLOTTES MONDAY...BRINGING COMBINED SEAS IN THE 30-40 FOOT RANGE FOR COASTAL SECTIONS ACCOMPANIED BY STORM FORCE WINDS. DAMICO && .AVALANCHE...WITH AN ALREADY UNSTABLE SNOWPACK STRUCTURE WELL ESTABLISHED THROUGH MULTIPLE BURIED AND NEAR SURFACE WEAK LAYERS...THE WEATHER FOR THE NEXT 36-48 HOURS APPEARS LIKELY TO BRING A DRAMATIC INCREASE IN THE AVALANCHE DANGER. PLENTY OF NEW GRADUALLY DENSER SNOW SLATED TO ARRIVE LATER SATURDAY THROUGH EARLY SUNDAY SHOULD BEGIN THE DANGER EVOLUTION. THEN WE LOAD THAT SNOW AND THE UNDERLYING WEAKNESSES WITH LOTS OF HIGHER DENSITY SNOW OR RAIN SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT...AS GRADUALLY RISING FREEZING LEVELS AND INCREASINGLY STRONG WINDS DEVELOP. THE END RESULT SHOULD BE INCREASINGLY UNSTABLE SNOW AND A HIGH TO EXTREME DANGER BY SUNDAY NIGHT. HOPE THAT THE JOYS AND THE RECENTLY MORE STABLE APPEARING SNOW DO NOT LURE FOLKS INTO THINKING THAT ALL IS OKAY WITH OUR SNOWPACK. IT IS NOT, AND THE STRESSES ADDED TO THE SNOWPACK OVER THE NEXT DAY OR TWO SHOULD MAKE THAT PRETTY CLEAR. BEST FOR BC TRAVELERS TO USE INCREASING CAUTION LATER TODAY...WITH BACK COUNTRY TRAVEL IN AVALANCHE TERRAIN NOT RECOMMENDED ON SUNDAY. BEST TO AVOID ANY BC TRAVEL AT ALL LATER SUNDAY INTO MONDAY. SEE NWAC.US FOR DETAILS. MOORE && .SEW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER STORM WARNING CASCADES AND OLYMPICS. HEAVY SNOW WARNING HOOD CANAL AREA. SNOW ADVISORY FOR REST OF THE LOWLANDS. GALE WARNING COAST AND STRAIT. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY REST OF WATERS. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY GRAYS HARBOR BAR FOR ROUGH BAR CONDITIONS. FLOOD WATCH MOST OF WESTERN WASHINGTON. WEATHER.GOV/SEATTLE
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA
410 PM PST SAT DEC 01 2007
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0213 PM SNOW 18 NNE SHELTON 47.46N 122.96W
12/01/2007 M4.0 INCH MASON WA TRAINED SPOTTER
LILLWAUP, STOPPED SNOWING 33 DEGREES. NO POWER DUE TO
BROKEN SNOW LOADED LIMBS.
&&
CERNIGLIAPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA
459 PM PST SAT DEC 01 2007
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0457 PM HEAVY SNOW 2 N POTLATCH 47.40N 123.14W
12/01/2007 M0.0 INCH MASON WA TRAINED SPOTTER
STILL SNOWING BUT OCCASIONAL SWITCHING TO RAIN AND SNOW
MIX.
0458 PM HEAVY SNOW 2 N POTLATCH 47.40N 123.14W
12/01/2007 M5.0 INCH MASON WA TRAINED SPOTTER
STILL SNOWING BUT OCCASIONALLY SWITCHING TO RAIN AND SNOW
MIX.
&&
MCDONNALPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA
459 PM PST SAT DEC 01 2007
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0458 PM HEAVY SNOW 2 N POTLATCH 47.40N 123.14W
12/01/2007 M5.0 INCH MASON WA TRAINED SPOTTER
STILL SNOWING BUT OCCASIONALLY SWITCHING TO RAIN AND SNOW
MIX.
&&
MCDONNALPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA
532 PM PST SAT DEC 01 2007
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0531 PM SNOW 3 NE MILL CREEK 47.89N 122.16W
12/01/2007 E3.0 INCH SNOHOMISH WA NWS EMPLOYEE
&&
CERNIGLIAPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA
532 PM PST SAT DEC 01 2007
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0531 PM SNOW 3 NE MILL CREEK 47.89N 122.16W
12/01/2007 M3.0 INCH SNOHOMISH WA NWS EMPLOYEE
&&
CERNIGLIAPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA
535 PM PST SAT DEC 01 2007
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0535 PM SNOW 5 ENE BELLEVUE 47.62N 122.04W
12/01/2007 M2.5 INCH KING WA TRAINED SPOTTER
NO LONGER SNOWING.
&&
MCDONNAL2 avalanche. Local standard time, as filed.
Three snowboarders were presumed dead near Crystal Mountain. They were found in mid June 2008 in their sleeping bags once the snow had melted enough. It is presumed they were buried in an avalanche during the night of Dec 1 or early morning of Dec 2.
Two hikers were killed, and one injured, by an avalanche near Snoqualmie Pass.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avalanche, West Slopes Central Cascades and Passes | 2007-12-02 | 29 | Male | Outside/Open Areas | Direct |
| Avalanche, West Slopes Central Cascades and Passes | 2007-12-02 | 41 | Male | Outside/Open Areas | Direct |
| Avalanche, West Slopes Central Cascades and Passes | 2007-12-02 | 26 | Male | Outside/Open Areas | Direct |
| Avalanche, West Slopes Central Cascades and Passes | 2007-12-02 | 33 | Female | Outside/Open Areas | Direct |
| Avalanche, West Slopes Central Cascades and Passes | 2007-12-02 | 38 | Male | Outside/Open Areas | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Washington in 2007Every state in 2007This day in weather historyWarnings in Washington, December 2007
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: 67954, 67953.