Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Washington, October 7 to 9, 2019

Name: Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Washington, October 7 to 9, 2019
Start: 2019-10-07T17:00
End: 2019-10-09T00:00
Location: Washington

October 7 to 9, 2019 · NWS SEW · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 4

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 SEW wrote it up.

An upper level trough swung down from British Columbia, carrying with it a surface frontal system. Colder air behind the front combined with an unstable environment lead to the development of convective post-frontal showers. The mountains received the first snowfall accumulation of the season. A winter weather advisory had been issued for this event, however, with it being the first significant (i.e., with travel impacts) accumulating snowfall of the season, snowfall totals actually met winter storm warning criteria for this event.

Event by event

2 winter storm, 2 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Cascades of Whatcom and Skagit Counties

When: October 7, 5:00 PM PST to October 8, 5:00 AM PST
Where: Cascades of Whatcom and Skagit Counties forecast zone
Reported by: Park/Forest Service

Snowfall appears to have started the previous evening, around 5-6pm, with around 15 inches of snow reported by 9pm. Snow then appeared to taper off through the overnight hours and through the 8th with no notable additional accumulation. For this event, Mount Baker Ski area received around 15 inches of snow during this period.

Winter Weather, Olympics

When: October 8, 12:00 AM PST to October 9, 12:00 AM PST
Where: Olympics forecast zone
Reported by: Park/Forest Service

No significant snowfall accumulation was noted at Hurricane Ridge. The day prior to the event (October 7th), Hurricane Ridge received 4 inches of snow. Snow depth then remained consistent through the day October 8th.

Winter Storm, Cascades of Snohomish and King Counties

When: October 8, 6:00 AM PST to 5:00 PM PST
Where: Cascades of Snohomish and King Counties forecast zone
Reported by: Park/Forest Service

Snow began to pickup after 6am at Stevens Pass. Roughly 4 inches of snow accumulated between 7-9am with another 5 inches by noon. Accumulation leveled off after that through the 9th. Total snowfall accumulation of about 10.5 inches was measured in 12 hours at Stevens Pass on the 8th. Snow also began falling at Snoqualmie Pass around 6am and continued through mid afternoon. Accumulation of just over 4 inches was reported at 3pm. Precip/snowfall tapered off after that with no additional accumulation of note, bringing a total snowfall accumulation of just over 4 inches in 12 hours at Snoqualmie Pass.

Winter Weather, Cascades of Pierce and Lewis Counties

When: October 8, 8:00 AM PST to 10:00 PM PST
Where: Cascades of Pierce and Lewis Counties forecast zone
Reported by: Park/Forest Service

Snowfall began around 9am at Paradise with 5.5 inches noted by about 5pm. An additional few tenths of an inch then fell through mid evening before tapering off. Total snowfall accumulation at Paradise of just under 6 inches (5.8 inches) in 12 hours. Crystal Mountain snowfall started around 9am with just over 6 inches reported 12 hours later before tapering. No significant accumulation was found at White Pass.

What these are

Winter Storm: A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.
Winter Weather: Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.

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, October 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 862064, 862095, 862061, 862060.