Heavy Snow in Washington, December 18 to 21, 2022

Name: Heavy Snow in Washington, December 18 to 21, 2022
Start: 2022-12-18T22:00
End: 2022-12-21T07:00
Location: Washington

December 18 to 21, 2022 · NWS SEW · 3 events in 2 counties and zones

A low pressure system from the north passed through our region bringing lower snow levels and a fresh batch of snow throughout the mountains, snow being heavy at times.

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 3

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.

A low pressure system from the north passed through our region bringing lower snow levels and a fresh batch of snow throughout the mountains, snow being heavy at times.

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 Seattle, WA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 18, 8:57 PM PST, 1 hour 3 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 18, 8:57 PM PST, 1 hour 3 minutes before

<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
  <title>Service Notice</title>
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
  <main class="wrap">
    <section class="card" role="status" aria-live="polite">
      <div class="status" id="status">Temporary Notice</div>
      <h1 id="headline">This service is currently unavailable.</h1>
      <p id="message1">
        The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
      </p>
      <p id="message2">
        Please try again in a few minutes.
      </p>
      <p class="small" id="detail">
        If you are an administrator, restore upstream service and remove the redirect/fallback rule when normal operations resume.
      </p>
    </section>
  </main>
  <script src="index.js"></script>
</body>
</html>

In the hours before

Local storm report, Dec 18, 7:45 PM PST, 2 hours 15 minutes before

<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
  <title>Service Notice</title>
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
  <main class="wrap">
    <section class="card" role="status" aria-live="polite">
      <div class="status" id="status">Temporary Notice</div>
      <h1 id="headline">This service is currently unavailable.</h1>
      <p id="message1">
        The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
      </p>
      <p id="message2">
        Please try again in a few minutes.
      </p>
      <p class="small" id="detail">
        If you are an administrator, restore upstream service and remove the redirect/fallback rule when normal operations resume.
      </p>
    </section>
  </main>
  <script src="index.js"></script>
</body>
</html>

Event by event

3 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Cascades of Whatcom and Skagit Counties

When: December 18, 10:00 PM PST to December 21, 7:00 AM PST
Where: Cascades of Whatcom and Skagit Counties forecast zone
Reported by: Other Federal Agency

Snow began early evening hours on Dec 18th and continued through the early morning hours of the 21st. The heaviest snow fell during the morning hours of the 19th and through the early morning hours of the 20th, with new accumulation around the Mount Baker ski area of around 18 inches in 24 hours. Snow then tapered in the early morning hours of the 21st. This verifies for Winter Storm Warning which we had starting late during the 19th.

Heavy Snow, Cascades of Snohomish and King Counties

When: December 18, 10:00 PM PST to December 21, 7:00 AM PST
Where: Cascades of Snohomish and King Counties forecast zone
Reported by: Other Federal Agency

Snow began again during the afternoon hours on the 19th at Stevens Pass, increasing in intensity during the morning hours on the 20th. About 12 inches of new snow fell in a 12 hour period by the evening of the 20th. Snow then quickly tapered during the morning hours of the 21st. For Snoqualmie Pass, snow began during the early afternoon hours on the 18th but remained fairly light. Snow then continued at times through the 19th before then increasing in intensity on the 20th. Over 12 inches then accumulated from around sunrise on the 20th through the evening hours.

Heavy Snow, Cascades of Whatcom and Skagit Counties

When: December 18, 10:00 PM PST to December 21, 7:00 AM PST
Where: Cascades of Whatcom and Skagit Counties forecast zone
Reported by: Other Federal Agency

Snow began during the early afternoon hours on December 18th, but remained generally light. Snow continued through the 19th. Snow then increased in intensity through the day on the 20th, accumulating about 18 inches in 24 hours.

What these are

Heavy Snow: Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Washington in 2022 Every state in 2022 This day in weather history Warnings in Washington, December 2022

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: 1075753, 1075755, 1075756.