Heavy snow fell in the central and south Cascades.
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.
Heavy snow fell in the central and south Cascades.
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 Feb 24, 8:29 PM PST, 5 hours 31 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Seattle WA
829 PM PST Sat Feb 24 2018
.SYNOPSIS...Cool and unsettled weather will continue through the
end of next week. A frontal system will move bring rain and
mountain snow tonight and Sunday. There will be a brief break in
the action Monday before the next system arrives Monday night and
Tuesday. A wetter system will arrive Wednesday night or Thursday.
&&
.SHORT TERM...A strong Pacific frontal system will move inland
tonight for wet and windy conditions and heavy snow in the
Cascades. Strong onshore flow will keep lowland temps above
freezing but snow levels will remain low in the Cascades - around
1,000 to 2,000 feet. A Winter Storm Warning is in effect for the
west slopes of the Cascades with 1 to 2 feet of snow expected
through early Sunday evening. The Northwest Avalanche Center has
also issued an Avalanche Warning for High Danger.
It'll be windy with the front tonight with S/SW winds 15 to 30 MPH
and gusts to 40 MPH across most areas. Winds will peak early
Sunday morning then ease through the day.
Seattle will be in the rain shadow again with strong westerly flow
aloft. Rainfall amounts will be relatively light (less than
0.20"). Elsewhere expect rainfall amounts of 0.25" to 0.50"
through Sunday. 33
Previous discussion...An upper trough will settle over the area
Sunday night and then push a bit inland on Monday. A threat of
lowland snow will return again Sunday night/early Monday morning
as snow levels lower to near sea level. However, most of the area
will be dry by then with just isolated showers. New snow
accumulations over the lowlands, if any, should be light and
isolated.
Yet another system will drop down from the northwest later Monday
night/Tuesday morning. Once again, snow levels will be low enough
for a threat of some snow over the lowlands, at least in the
morning. Overall, the system is pretty weak and QPF is light which
should limit accumulations and any associated impacts. Schneider
.LONG TERM...A wet frontal system will reach the area Wednesday
and push inland Wednesday night. A chilly upper trough will
settle over the Pacific Northwest after that for a chance of
showers with low snow levels again. Models are in rather poor
agreement by the weekend and the forecast is a broad brush for
now. Schneider
&&
.AVIATION...Rain will increase tonight as a front approaches then
moves inland. The flow aloft is westerly. The air mass is moist
with MVFR conditions expected in rain. Showers will mainly impact
the Cascades Sunday afternoon behind a cold front. 33
KSEA...Light showers in the vicinity tonight. Increasing clouds
with MVFR cigs likely. S winds increasing to 15G30KT. 33
&&
.MARINE...A strong frontal system will move inland tonight with
gales over the Coastal Waters and Strait of Juan de Fuca. Small
Craft Advisories are also in effect for all remaining waters.
Strong onshore flow will continue through Sunday afternoon. Seas
will build to 13 to 17 feet. Weak high pressure will bring a
period of lighter winds on Monday. The next front will slide
inland on Tuesday. A stronger Pacific system will impact the
region on Wednesday. 33
&&
.HYDROLOGY...River flooding is not expected for the next 7 days.
&&
.SEW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WA...Winter Storm Warning until 7 PM PST Sunday for Cascades of
Pierce and Lewis Counties-Cascades of Snohomish and King
Counties-Cascades of Whatcom and Skagit Counties.
PZ...Gale Warning until 4 PM PST Sunday for Central U.S. Waters
Strait Of Juan De Fuca-Coastal Waters From Cape Flattery To
James Island 10 To 60 Nm-Coastal Waters From Cape Flattery
To James Island Out 10 Nm-Coastal Waters From James Island
To Point Grenville 10 To 60 Nm-Coastal Waters From James
Island To Point Grenville Out 10 Nm-Coastal Waters From
Point Grenville To Cape Shoalwater 10 To 60 Nm-Coastal
Waters From Point Grenville To Cape Shoalwater Out 10 Nm-
East Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-West
Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca.
Small Craft Advisory for rough bar until 4 AM PST Monday for
Grays Harbor Bar.
Small Craft Advisory until 7 PM PST Sunday for Admiralty Inlet-
Northern Inland Waters Including The San Juan Islands.
Small Craft Advisory until 4 PM PST Sunday for Puget Sound and
Hood Canal.
&&
www.weather.gov/seattle2 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Stevens Pass received 21 inches of snow in 24 hours.
Crystal Mountain Base area, near state highway 410, received 13 inches of snow in 12 hours.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Washington in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in Washington, February 2018
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: 805582, 805583.