Heavy snowfall affected the Southern Cascades for several days in Mid-February.
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 snowfall affected the Southern Cascades for several days in Mid-February.
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 12, 8:55 PM PST, 3 hours 5 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Seattle WA
855 PM PST Wed Feb 12 2020
.UPDATE/THIS EVENING/...Forecast on track this evening, so no
major updates needed for the near-term. Overall, dry weather will
continue tonight. Patchy fog development will be possible across
portions of the Sound and Southwest Interior throughout the
overnight hours. The next system will approach the coast by the
early morning hours and make its way into the Sound by mid-
morning. Previous forecast discussion follows, with updates made
to the marine and aviation sections. SB
&&
.SYNOPSIS...A series of fronts will move through the area
starting on Thursday. Each system will bring lowland rain,
breezy conditions and mountain snow. The weather system over
the weekend will bring heavy snow to the mountains.
&&
.SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/...Wet weather will return
Thursday into Friday as weak frontal system moves across the area.
Light lowland rain is expected with mountain snow above 2000-3000
feet. Cascade passes will see 4-8 inches of snow with hazardous
travel at times. Those with travel plans should keep an eye on
WSDOT road conditions before departing. Southerly winds will
increase as the system moves through with gusts on the order of
20-30 mph. Both snow amounts and winds remain below advisory
criteria at this time but will continue to monitor. Showers linger
into Friday, mainly across the mountains, with additional light
snow.
Next system arrives Saturday and will be stronger and wetter. Snow
levels will remain below pass levels with heavy mountain snow
expected into Sunday. Ensemble guidance continues to differ on
strength of surface gradients and resulting winds with this system
so confidence remains low on any wind details. Gusts on the order
of 20-35 mph possible but will continue to monitor trends.
CEO
.LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...Upper level trough departs
the area on Monday with a few lingering showers. Deterministic and
ensemble guidance in fairly good agreement past Monday with
ridging building over the West Coast through at least mid-week.
This will give the area several dry days. Have trended forecast in
this direction.
CEO
&&
.AVIATION...Flow aloft has become westerly tonight as an upper
level trough approaches the region. Surface flow is onshore and
the air mass is moist at the surface. Current conditions are
primarily VFR across the terminals this evening and are expected
to gradually lower to MVFR later tonight as a front approaches
and moves onshore. Patchy fog development is possible across the
Sound and Southwest Interior ahead of this next system. Current
guidance continues to indicate that rain will approach the coastal
terminals between 12-15Z and move inland to the central and
southern Sound between 17-19Z. Conditions will become breezy
Thursday afternoon. SB
KSEA...Current conditions VFR with mid level clouds. Ceilings will
gradually become MVFR late tonight into Thursday as the system
approaches and moves inland. Rain expected to move into the
terminal between 17-19Z. Winds will remain light through tonight
and then increase from the south Thursday morning and afternoon.
SB
&&
.MARINE...Winds will remain light across the waters this evening,
before increasing ahead of the next system approaching the region
early Thursday morning. Small Craft Advisories are in effect for
the waters. Winds will remain elevated into Friday morning before
diminishing Friday afternoon. A stronger system will move through
Friday night and into the weekend. Seas will build to 14-18 ft by
Friday morning. JD/SB
&&
.HYDROLOGY...Minor flooding on the White River at R Street will
continue into the weekend. Weather systems will move through the
area on Thursday and Saturday. Both systems will be progressive
with snow levels fairly low (2000-2500 feet). Rivers could see
some modest rises but additional flooding is unlikely.
&&
.SEW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WA...None.
PZ...Small Craft Advisory from 4 AM Thursday to 4 AM PST Friday for
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-West Entrance U.S.
Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca.
Small Craft Advisory from 9 AM Thursday to 4 AM PST Friday for
Central U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-East Entrance
U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca.
Small Craft Advisory from 6 AM to 10 PM PST Thursday for
Admiralty Inlet-Northern Inland Waters Including The San
Juan Islands-Puget Sound and Hood Canal.
&&
www.weather.gov/seattle1 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Snow began falling across the Southern Cascades on the 13th, with the most significant snowfall recorded on the 15th. Snow then leveled off through the night into the 16th.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Washington in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Washington, February 2020
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: 878775.