Blizzard and Heavy Snow in Washington, February 8 to 10, 2019

Name: Blizzard and Heavy Snow in Washington, February 8 to 10, 2019
Start: 2019-02-08T08:00
End: 2019-02-10T10:00
Location: Washington

February 8 to 10, 2019 · NWS PDT · 7 events in 6 counties and zones

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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $2.2 million
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.

A potent winter storm brought significant snow accumulations to much of central and eastern Washington beginning on the evening of the 8th and peaking on the 9th of February. Along and in the lee of more exposed ridges in the Yakima and Kittitas Valleys and along the Horse Heaven hills blizzard conditions were observed with sustained winds between 35 and 40 mph (30 to 35 knots) and observed visibilities near zero. Snow drifts in the Richland area as high as 5 feet were reported with some secondary roads remaining impassable for days. I-90 from Ellensburg to Vantage, I-82 from Yakima to Ellensburg and I-82 from south of the Tri-Cities to the Oregon border were all closed for significant portions of the day due to massive snow drifts and near zero visibility. Across the region over 500 additional motor vehicle accidents were reported by the Washington State Patrol. In the Yakima Valley impassable roads and harsh conditions resulted in the loss of over 1700 head of cattle at an estimated value of 2.2 million dollars. Snowfall amounts ranged from 5 to 12 inches with 5 to 6 inches in the Tri-Cities, 5 to 7 inches in Yakima, 6 to 12 inches in Ellensburg and 5 to 10 inches in the Simcoe Highlands. Accurate snowfall measurements were very difficult due to blowing and drifting snow.

What forecasters said that day

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 Pendleton, OR wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 8, 2:30 AM PST, 5 hours 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 8, 2:30 AM PST, 5 hours 30 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Pendleton OR
230 AM PST Fri Feb 8 2019

.SHORT TERM...Today through Sunday...Upper low will develop along
the BC coast today...drop southward along the Washington and Oregon
coasts tonight and Saturday and then swing across Oregon on Sunday.
This will bring a winter storm to much of the region with the
potential for significant snowfall...especially given an expected
reinforcing shot of arctic air. By Saturday snow ratios could easily
be 15 to 1 especially across the northern areas which will augment
snow amounts. With this forecast package all areas will be under a
warning or advisory with just a few areas remaining under a winter
storm watch. The day shift will evaluate these few remaining areas
and decide what highlights will need to be issued. Snow amounts of 5
to 10 inches will be widespread by midday Sunday as the system winds
down. Blowing snow will be a concern as well across Washington as
gusty north to northeast winds are expected to develop Saturday with
the arctic surge. By sunday high temperatures will struggle to get
out of the teens with the fresh snow cover. 78

.LONG TERM...Sunday night through Friday. A series of low
pressure systems and disturbances will move across the two state
area through the extended keeping our area with snow chances through
the period. The first storm system is forecast to move across the
pacnw Sunday night and Monday. A brief break Monday night will give
way to another storm system that will spread some accumulating snow
to the region Tuesday before drifting east by Wednesday. A third
storm system is expected Thursday into Friday. Temperatures will
remain below normal through the period.

&&

.AVIATION...12Z TAFS...areas of mvfr and lcl ifr conditions can be
expected at taf sites kpdt and kalw and kdls. Otherwise mainly vfr
conditions can be expected for the remainder of the taf sites.
However a storm system will bring snow showers to the region along
with areas of mvfr and ifr conditions after 20z for all taf sites.

&&

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
PDT  26  21  26  11 /  50  50  80  80
ALW  29  23  29  14 /  50  50  80  70
PSC  26  22  24  15 /  40  70  80  80
YKM  26  17  21  12 /  20  90  90  70
HRI  28  22  26  14 /  40  50  80  80
ELN  26  14  20   9 /  30 100  90  60
RDM  36  24  34   8 /  60  50  80  60
LGD  29  23  33  14 /  60  60  80  80
GCD  36  26  38  16 /  60  80  80  70
DLS  34  24  27  16 /  20  80  90  60

&&

.PDT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...Winter Storm Warning from 7 PM this evening to 10 AM PST Sunday
     for ORZ041.

     Winter Storm Watch from this evening through Sunday morning for
     ORZ508-510.

     Winter Weather Advisory from 10 AM this morning to 1 PM PST
     Sunday for ORZ503-506.

     Winter Storm Watch from Saturday afternoon through Sunday
     afternoon for ORZ049-050.

     Winter Weather Advisory from 10 AM this morning to 4 PM PST
     Sunday for ORZ502.

     Winter Storm Warning from 9 PM this evening to 1 PM PST Sunday
     for ORZ044.

     Winter Storm Watch from late tonight through Sunday morning for
     ORZ509-511.

     Winter Storm Watch from Saturday morning through Sunday
     afternoon for ORZ507.

     Winter Weather Advisory from 10 AM this morning to 10 AM PST
     Sunday for ORZ505.

WA...Winter Storm Warning from 7 PM this evening to 10 AM PST Sunday
     for WAZ024-521.

     Winter Weather Advisory from 10 AM this morning to 4 PM PST
     Sunday for WAZ030.

     Winter Storm Warning from 9 PM this evening to 1 PM PST Sunday
     for WAZ028.

     Winter Storm Warning from 1 PM this afternoon to 10 AM PST
     Sunday for WAZ520.

     Winter Storm Watch from Saturday morning through Sunday
     afternoon for WAZ029.

     Winter Storm Warning from 4 PM this afternoon to 10 AM PST
     Sunday for WAZ026-027.

&&

78/97/97

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 heavy snow, 3 blizzard. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Lower Columbia Basin

When: February 8, 8:00 AM PST to February 10, 10:00 AM PST
Where: Lower Columbia Basin forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 46.220, -119.419 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, East Slopes of the Washington Cascades

When: February 8, 11:00 PM PST to February 10, 1:00 AM PST
Where: East Slopes of the Washington Cascades forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Heavy Snow, Simcoe Highlands

When: February 8, 11:00 PM PST to February 10, 1:00 AM PST
Where: Simcoe Highlands forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 46.166, -120.764 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Eastern Columbia River Gorge

When: February 8, 11:00 PM PST to February 10, 5:00 AM PST
Where: Eastern Columbia River Gorge forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 45.874, -120.789 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Kittitas Valley

When: February 9, 7:00 AM PST to 9:00 PM PST
Where: Kittitas Valley forecast zone
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 46.791, -120.709 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Yakima Valley

When: February 9, 7:00 AM PST to 9:00 PM PST
Where: Yakima Valley forecast zone
Property damage: $2.2 million
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 46.457, -120.739 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Near zero visibility and sustained winds of 35 mph created treacherous conditions across the Yakima Valley. 1800 head of cattle valued at an estimated 2.5 million dollars perished in the storm.

Blizzard, Lower Columbia Basin

When: February 9, 10:00 AM PST to 6:00 PM PST
Where: Lower Columbia Basin forecast zone
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 46.220, -119.419 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Interstate 82 was shut down south of the Tri-Cities to the Oregon border due to heavy and blowing snow reducing visibility to near zero in the Horse Heaven Hills. Mesonet stations in the area reported several hour of 40 mph (35 knot) sustained winds. The Interstate remained closed after winds abated through early the next day due to very large drifts across the roadway.

What these are

Heavy Snow: Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.
Blizzard: Sustained winds or frequent gusts of 35 mph or more with falling or blowing snow that cuts visibility below a quarter mile for three hours or longer.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Washington in 2019 Every state in 2019 This day in weather history Warnings in Washington, February 2019

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: 796534, 796536, 796537, 796539, 796532, 796533, 796806.