About 250,000 people lost power. A 42 year old man died when his car was hit by a tree in Seattle's Seward Park.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
About 250,000 people lost power. A 42 year old man died when his car was hit by a tree in Seattle's Seward Park. Several homes were damaged. Scaffolding at the UW was reduced to a pile of rubble by the winds. The Hwy 520 bridge and Hood Canal Bridge were closed for several hours, as was parts of I-405. There was minor damage to the 520 bridge draw span. A semi truck was toppled on the Tacoma Narrows bridge, halting traffic. Downed trees blocked two lanes of southbound 405 in Snohomish County. Washington State Ferries canceled or delayed several routes.
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 Mar 13, 8:10 AM PST, 3 hours 26 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA
910 AM PDT SUN MAR 13 2016
.SYNOPSIS...A VIGOROUS STORM WILL BRING VERY WINDY CONDITIONS TO
WESTERN WASHINGTON THROUGH THIS EVENING...ALONG WITH RAIN IN THE
LOWLANDS AND SNOW IN THE MOUNTAINS. COOL MOIST WESTERLY FLOW WILL
MAINTAIN SHOWERS MONDAY THOUGH WEDNESDAY WITH MORE MOUNTAIN SNOW. AN
UPPER LEVEL RIDGE IS WILL BRING DRY MILD WEATHER THURSDAY THROUGH
SATURDAY.
&&
.SHORT TERM...THE STORM IS MOVING FASTER THAT PREVIOUSLY EXPECTED.
BUOY 89 WEST OF THE N OREGON COAST WAS DOWN TO 983 MB AT 15Z...A
LITTLE DEEPER THAN FORECAST. HOWEVER THE MOST IMPORTANT CHANGE IS
THAT THE LOW IS MOVING FASTER THAN EXPECTED AND THE STRONGEST WINDS
ARE NOW EXPECTED 2-3 HOURS SOONER. THE HIGH WIND WARNING STATEMENT
HAS BEEN UPDATED WITH THIS CHANGE.
RECENT HOURLY HRRR RUNS AS WELL SOME OF THE EARLIER 00Z AND 06Z
MODELS ALSO TRACK THE LOW SLIGHTLY FARTHER TO THE NW...MORE OVER THE
NW OLYMPICS. THE MODELS ARE ALSO RUNNING SLIGHTLY WEAKER ON THE
WINDS. 925 MB WINDS ARE CLOSER TO 50 KT WHICH WOULD TRANSLATE TO
SURFACE GUSTS IN THE 50-60 MPH RANGE. SUSTAINED SURFACE WINDS WILL
STILL BE IN THE 25-40 MPH RANGE. WINDS WILL DIMINISH SOONER AS WELL
WITH WINDS EASING SLOWLY FROM LATE AFTERNOON THROUGH MID EVENING.
OTHERWISE THERE IS NO CHANGE TO THE FORECAST. SIGNIFICANT...WARNING
LEVEL...SNOW IS STILL EXPECTED OVER MOUNT BAKER AND MOUNT RAINIER
THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH MONDAY MORNING...WITH LOWER ADVISORY LEVEL
AMOUNTS EXPECTED OVER SNOQUALMIE AND STEVENS PASS. KAM
REMAINDER OF THE DISCUSSION FROM THE 301 AM AFD...AN UPPER TROUGH
WILL FOLLOW THE FRONTAL SYSTEM TONIGHT...WITH MOIST WESTERLY FLOW AT
LOWER LEVELS. FORECAST PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS HAVE NOT CHANGED MUCH.
RAINFALL IN THE INTERIOR LOWLANDS FOR TODAY AND TONIGHT SHOULD BE
MAINLY 0.25 TO 0.75 INCH...WITH 0.50 TO 1.25 INCH AT THE COAST. THE
SNOW LEVEL WILL BE 2500 TO 3500 FT TODAY AND TONIGHT...AND FALL TO
2000 FT MONDAY AS ANOTHER SHORTWAVE IN THE WESTERLY FLOW MOVES
THROUGH THE AREA. UP TO 2.5 INCHES LIQUID EQUIVALENT PRECIPITATION
WILL FALL IN THE MOUNTAINS TODAY THROUGH MONDAY...WITH THE HEAVIEST
AMOUNTS AROUND MOUNT BAKER AND MOUNT RAINIER. A WINTER STORM WARNING
WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY THROUGH NOON MONDAY FOR THE
CASCADES OF WHATCOM AND SKAGIT COUNTIES AND THE CASCADES OF PIERCE
AND LEWIS COUNTIES. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT
FOR THE CASCADES OF SNOHOMISH AND KING COUNTIES.
AN UPPER RIDGE WILL START BUILDING WELL OFFSHORE ON TUESDAY...BUT
MOIST ONSHORE FLOW WILL CONTINUE ACROSS WESTERN WASHINGTON WITH
MAYBE ANOTHER WEAK SHORTWAVE MOVING THROUGH. IT STILL LOOKS LIKE A
RATHER SHOWERY DAY ESPECIALLY FOR THE COAST AND MOUNTAINS. THE
SNOW LEVEL WILL STILL BE 2000 TO 2500 FT. MCDONNAL
.LONG TERM...THE UPPER RIDGE WILL BUILD OFFSHORE ALONG 135W ON
WEDNESDAY...WITH THE FLOW ALOFT VEERING TO NORTHWEST OVER WESTERN
WASHINGTON AND THE AIR MASS GRADUALLY DRYING. THE UPPER RIDGE WILL
MOVE SLOWLY TOWARD THE REGION THURSDAY AND FRIDAY...THEN WEAKEN AS
IT MOVES INLAND ON SATURDAY. THIS SHOULD BE A DRY PERIOD WITH SOME
SUNSHINE. MCDONNAL
&&
.AVIATION...A BROAD UPPER TROUGH OFFSHORE WITH STRONG SW FLOW ALOFT
OVER WA. THE FLOW ALOFT WILL TURN MORE WESTERLY TONIGHT. AN INTENSE
LOW PRESSURE CENTER JUST OFF THE NORTHERN OREGON COAST THIS MORNING
IS EXPECTED TO TRACK NE ACROSS NW WA THIS AFTERNOON WITH ASSOCIATED
STRONG WIND OF GUSTS 40-70 KT THROUGH THIS EVENING. AIR MASS STABLE
WITH INCREASING MOISTURE THIS MORNING. AIR MASS BECOMING UNSTABLE
AFTER 20Z.
RAIN SPREADING INLAND THIS MORNING WITH CEILINGS DROPPING TO MVFR
MOST AREAS. RAIN TURNING TO SHOWERS THIS AFTERNOON WITH CEILINGS IN
THE VICINITY OF SHOWERS REMAINING MVFR...LIKELY BREAKS IN CLOUD
COVER BEYOND SHOWERS. EXPECT A LOT OF MECHANICAL TURBC ASSOCIATED
WITH THE STRONG WINDS. NOT A GOOD DAY FOR FLYING...TIE AIRCRAFT DOWN
OR SHELTER IN A HANGER IF POSSIBLE.
KSEA...VFR CEILINGS WILL LIKELY FALL TO MVFR BEFORE 18Z IN RAIN.
SE WIND 8-14 KT THIS MORNING PICKING UP MIDDAY AND BECOMING
SOUTHERLY WITH GUSTS AS HIGH AS 50 KT OR SO. BUEHNER
&&
.MARINE...A 985 MB SURFACE LOW AT 15Z THIS MORNING 150 NM OFF
CASCADE HEAD IS EXPECTED TO TRACK NE AND CROSS THE OLYMPIC PENINSULA
AS A 978 MB LOW LATE THIS AFTERNOON. THIS SYSTEM WILL BRING STORM
FORCE WINDS TO MOST COASTAL WATERS...IF NOT WITH THE PRE-LOW
SOUTHEASTERLIES...THEN WITH THE POST-LOW WEST AND SOUTHWESTERLIES. A
GOOD DAY TO STAY IN PORT AND SECURELY TIE YOUR BOAT DOWN.
SEAS WILL BUILD TO 20 TO 24 FT TONIGHT WITH THE HIGHEST SEAS AROUND
GRAYS HARBOR. SOME BEACH EROSION IS LIKELY.
ONSHORE FLOW WILL DIMINISH MONDAY AND TUESDAY. HIGHER PRES IS
FORECAST TO BUILD OVER THE REGION WEDNESDAY WITH OFFSHORE FLOW
THURSDAY. BUEHNER
&&
.HYDROLOGY...THE SKOKOMISH RIVER WILL PROBABLY FLOOD AGAIN
TONIGHT. A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MASON COUNTY.
OTHERWISE FLOODING IS NOT EXPECTED ON AREA RIVERS FOR THE NEXT
WEEK.
&&
.SEW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WA...HIGH WIND WARNING TODAY TO 11 PM PDT THIS EVENING FOR
BELLEVUE AND VICINITY-BREMERTON AND VICINITY-CENTRAL COAST-
EAST PUGET SOUND LOWLANDS-EVERETT AND VICINITY-HOOD CANAL
AREA-LOWER CHEHALIS VALLEY AREA-NORTH COAST-SEATTLE AND
VICINITY-SOUTHWEST INTERIOR-TACOMA AREA.
COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY UNTIL 11 AM PDT THIS MORNING FOR
ADMIRALTY INLET AREA-BREMERTON AND VICINITY-EVERETT AND
VICINITY-HOOD CANAL AREA-SEATTLE AND VICINITY-SOUTHWEST
INTERIOR-TACOMA AREA.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL NOON PDT TODAY FOR CASCADES OF
PIERCE AND LEWIS COUNTIES.
WINTER STORM WARNING FROM NOON TODAY TO NOON PDT MONDAY FOR
CASCADES OF PIERCE AND LEWIS COUNTIES-CASCADES OF WHATCOM
AND SKAGIT COUNTIES.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM NOON TODAY TO NOON PDT MONDAY FOR
CASCADES OF SNOHOMISH AND KING COUNTIES.
FLOOD WATCH FROM NOON PDT TODAY THROUGH MONDAY MORNING FOR HOOD
CANAL AREA-LOWER CHEHALIS VALLEY AREA-OLYMPICS.
HIGH WIND WARNING TO 11 PM PDT THIS
EVENING FOR ADMIRALTY INLET AREA-SAN JUAN COUNTY-WESTERN
SKAGIT COUNTY-WESTERN WHATCOM COUNTY.
COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY UNTIL 9 AM PDT THIS MORNING FOR CENTRAL
COAST.
HIGH WIND WARNING TODAY FOR THE EASTERN STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA.
PZ...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR ROUGH BAR UNTIL 11 AM PDT MONDAY FOR
GRAYS HARBOR BAR.
STORM WARNING COAST AND NORTHERN INLAND WATERS.
STORM WARNING CENTRAL AND EAST STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA.
GALE WARNING WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA
...ADMIRALTY INLET-PUGET SOUND AND HOOD CANAL.
&&
WWW.WEATHER.GOV/SEATTLE
YOU CAN SEE AN ILLUSTRATED VERSION OF THIS DISCUSSION AT
WWW.WEATHER.GOV/SEATTLE/GAFD/LATEST_WEBAFD.HTMLThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
10 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The Westport tide gauge recorded 52g68 mph for several hours. The Hoquiam ASOS measured 45g62 mph for a few hours. Grays Harbor coast guard reported 44g62 mph. a Moclips spotter phoned in a 76 mph gust.
The Paine Field ASOS in Everett had a peak wind of 60 mph. Downed trees blocked two lanes of traffic on southbound Interstate 405 in Snohomish County, backing up traffic for miles. The wind gusts caused structural damage to a building in Lynnwood.
The Gray Field ASOS recorded a peak wind of 58 mph. A semi-truck toppled over on the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, temporarily halting eastbound traffic.
Lopez Island recorded 53g66 mph over a few hours. North Andrews Bay measured 40g58 mph.
Destruction Island recorded 50+ KT winds for a few hours. This verifies high wind on the north coast.
The Whidbey Island NAS ASOS recorded 39g59 over a few hours. Freeland measured 42 mph and Keystone 45 mph.
Bainbridge Island had sustained wind of SE44.
The Bellingham ASOS reported 36g58 mph. A CWOP west of Bellingham measured 50g67 mph over several hours. Sandy Point Shores recorded 44g68 mph over nearly five hours.
Edison measured 40 mph sustained wind.
The Seattle ASOS measured a sustained wind of 44 mph. Eric Medalle, 42, was in the driver’s seat of a vehicle in Seattle’s Seward Park when an evergreen tree collapsed onto the vehicle and killed him. His daughter, also in the vehicle only suffered minor injuries. The 520 bridge was closed in both directions for the first time in two year, it sustained minor wind damage.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High Wind, Seattle and Vicinity | 2016-03-13 | 42 | Male | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Washington in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in Washington, March 2016
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: 615032, 615037, 615039, 615034, 615031, 615036, 615040, 615033, 615035, 615038.