Heavy Snow, East Slopes of the Washington Cascades
- When
- December 11, 6:00 AM PST to December 12, 10:00 AM PST
- Where
- East Slopes of the Washington Cascades forecast zone
- Reported by
- COOP Observer
Heavy Snow in Washington, December 11 to 12, 2010
Moist Pacific air flowed over cold air at the surface and created heavy snowfall. 5), 5 miles north northwest of Ellensburg (9), 4 miles west northwest of West Valley (6), 8 miles southeast of Cliffdell (7), Trout Lake (6), and 2 miles northeast of West Valley (6).
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 2 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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 3
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.
Moist Pacific air flowed over cold air at the surface and created heavy snowfall. Amounts reported in inches included 2 miles northeast of Selah (5.5), Snowden (6), Sunnyside (4), Glenwood (6), 1 mile south of Cle Elum (10), 3 miles east northeast of Yakima (9), 4 miles east of Moxee (5.5), Kittitas (6), 7 miles north northwest of Easton (9.5), 9 miles north of Ellensburg (12), Sunnyside (6), Bickleton (6.5), 5 miles north northwest of Ellensburg (9), 4 miles west northwest of West Valley (6), 8 miles southeast of Cliffdell (7), Trout Lake (6), and 2 miles northeast of West Valley (6). Freezing rain also occurred during the storm in portions of the Yakima Valley.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
3 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy Snow, Yakima Valley
- When
- December 11, 9:00 AM PST to 8:00 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)
Heavy Snow, Kittitas Valley
- When
- December 11, 10:00 AM PST to 8:00 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)
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
- Winter Storm in Illinois, December 11 to 12, 2010
- Blizzard in Wisconsin, December 11 to 12, 2010
- Blizzard and Winter Storm in Wisconsin, December 11 to 13, 2010
- Blizzard in Iowa, December 11 to 12, 2010
- Strong Wind in Arkansas, December 11 to 12, 2010
- Winter Storm in Michigan, December 11 to 12, 2010
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Mississippi, December 11, 2010
- Blizzard and High Wind in Nebraska, December 11 to 12, 2010
- Winter Storm and Coastal Flood in Indiana, December 11 to 13, 2010
- Blizzard in Minnesota, December 11, 2010
- Blizzard and Winter Storm in Iowa, December 11 to 12, 2010
- Winter Storm in Michigan, December 11 to 13, 2010
More
Every storm in Washington in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in Washington, December 2010
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: 264868, 264872, 264865.